Italy Earthquake death toll rises to 275 !!

[Frank J. Ball Sr. aka Frank WOLF]

Italy earthquake death toll rises to 275

Italy earthquake death toll rises to 275
By VANESSA GERA, Associated Press Writer Vanessa Gera, Associated Press Writer
1 hr 1 min ago

L'AQUILA, Italy – Rescuers removed three more bodies from a collapsed university dormitory in central Italy early Thursday, raising to 275 the death toll in the country's worst earthquake in three decades.


The last body was pulled out of the four-story structure in the city of L'Aquila just after dawn, and family members maintained their vigil up until the end, said rescue coordinator Antonio Panaro.


At least seven students, including an Israeli, died in the dormitory, which became a focal point of grief in this devastated city.


Signaling the end of the operation, huge excavators moved in and began dismantling the dorm.


"No one else is missing. There are no parents left waiting, but of course we will carefully verify that there isn't anyone else," Panaro.


But elsewhere in the city and the stricken region, search operations continued for as many as 10 people still missing.


Strong aftershocks overnight rattled residents — nearly 18,000 of whom are living in tent camps around the stricken region. An additional 10,000 have been put up in seaside hotels, out of the quake zone.


Italian President Giorgio Napolitano arrived Thursday to see the damage in L'Aquila.


Officials have urged residents not to sleep in their homes — but some could not resist at least looking from outside to see if they could assess the damage.


Anti-looting patrols have increased in the quake zone and some residents stayed in cars near their homes to keep watch all the same. Premier Silvio Berlusconi on Wednesday said stiffer anti-looting measures would be introduced amid reports that the problem was on the rise.


Two people were arrested for suspected looting Wednesday in the nearly leveled town of Onna, the ANSA news agency said, citing police. They were freed after proving to police the euro80,000 ($105,000) they had on them was theirs, ANSA said.


L'Aquila's police chief, Filippo Piritore, striding through the city on Thursday morning, said no arrests had been made in the city for looting, pointing to heavy police patrols. He said some people have been stopped who appeared to be intent on robbing unattended homes and other properties.


L'Aquila's medieval center has been completely closed to any traffic, making the center a ghost city.


The magnitude-6.3 quake hit L'Aquila and several towns covering 230 square miles (600 square kilometers) in central Italy early Monday, leveling buildings and reducing entire blocks to piles of rubble. It was the worst quake to hit Italy in three decades.


Sixteen of the dead were children, Berlusconi said, and of the injured, 100 remained in serious condition.


On Wednesday, the first funerals were held for the victims, including for Giuseppe Chiavaroli, 24, a football player in a lower-division team who was killed along with his girlfriend in Monday's quake.


The Vatican's No. 2, Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, was to conduct a funeral Mass for most of the victims on Friday, Vatican officials said.


The Vatican granted a special dispensation for the Mass, because Good Friday, which marks Jesus' death by crucifixion, is the only day in the year in which Mass in not celebrated in the Roman Catholic Church.


The funeral will be held outdoors, as no churches are stable enough to host a Mass.


The Vatican said Pope Benedict XVI would visit the affected area sometime after Easter Sunday and that he does not want to interfere with relief operations. The pope praised the aid operations as an example of how solidarity can help overcome "even the most painful trials.
"

Please Help the Italian Earthquake Victims


Many have been left homeless by this event by nature and need temporary shelter and food and clothing. Your donation can help them meet their unexpected needs.



Please find it in your hearts to help these people out.
They were one of the first to come to the aid of Katrina victims.

Let us be one of the first to come to their aid !!


..

We are also getting a cargo container together to send over:
ITEMS NEEDED
Diapers (all sizes)
Baby formula
All baby items (powder, diaper rash medicine ect.
)
Blankets
Clothing ~ (mens, womens, childrens - jeans, T-shirts, socks, underwear all sizes)
Toys

If you can help out and want to send these items:

Stop by the One Earth network and visit or join our group "Italian Earthquake Relief" to find out more about how you can help out !!!

Stop by TODAY !!!

..
Visit One Earth One People One Chance !

[Frank J. Ball Sr. aka Frank WOLF]

This is SAD !!! Looking at the response so far... This has been running since Tuesday !!! $10.00 is all that has been donated by one person !!!

If everyone who reads & refers a friend this donates $1.00 to $5.
00 and their friends who read and refers a friend to do the same then we would meet and probably exceed our goal !!!!

DOES NO ONE CARE ANYMORE ~ WHAT IF IT WERE YOUR HOME OR TOWN THAT WAS HIT BY A NATURAL DISASTER ~ WOULD YOU NOT WANT HELP AND RELIEF FROM PEOPLE......

Think About It !!!

[Grazina Likpetriene]

Dear sir Franc Wolf
We send the hat round donations and contributions to Italy in each country in to a local bank. We donation as mutch as we can.
Respect
Grazina, Lithuania

[Frank J. Ball Sr. aka Frank WOLF]

Grazina,

I am not speaking of the members from europe, I know that most of you live quite close to what has happened there in Italy and are sending as much help as you can.

I speak to my fellow Americans, who are always happy to recieve help- when things like Katrina or Mt St. Helens or other natural disasters affect them but suddenly forget that help is needed sometimes beyond the U.S.A...... Maybe the earthquake in Italy is not as bad as the floods of the 2006 Tsunami but still people are displaced from their homes and in need of help....

Even though our economy is bad here people sould find it in their hearts... I myself know how tough it can be as I was laid off from my job on January 15th of this year and my budget is tight, but yet I found a way to help out....

Yes I speak to other Americans, I know Europeans are doing their part as I do read national news from around the world....

Thank you for your reply... Have a great day...
Frank...