From Bad to Worse

Italy Quake Death Toll Climbs to 290

Rescuers fear more bodies will be discovered as country begins day of mourning.

As flags across Italy flew at half mast on Saturday to mourn hundreds killed in Wednesday’s earthquake, the death toll climbed to 290 as rescue workers continued to discover bodies in the rubble. Several more bodies were found overnight on Saturday in the town of Amatrice, which was hit the hardest by the earthquake. The grisly discovery came as the country began a day of mourning, with a state funeral for some of the victims to be attended by President Sergio Mattarella and Premier Matteo Renzi on Saturday. During a visit to Amatrice on Saturday, Mattarella thanked thousands of rescue workers for their “extraordinary effort” in saving the victims. The small town lost the most residents in the earthquake, with 230 confirmed deaths so far. Rescue workers fear that more bodies may be discovered, as the popular mountain town was packed with visiting tourists during the quake.