Survivor Pulled Alive From Earthquake Rubble in Italy

EARTHQUAKE IN ITALY

h. 17:29
LOOTERS TO FACE FAST-TRACK TRIAL
(ANSA) - L'Aquila, April 10 - Four Romanians caught looting a home in the town of San Panfilo d'Ocre, not far from the Abruzzo capital of L'Aquila on Friday will face a fast-track trial later in the day, Premier Silvio Berlusconi told reporters. Investigators believe the four - two men and two women - were given the keys to the residence by a Romanian caregiver who took care of an elderly resident. Berlusconi said it was the ''first result of the (government's) offensive against looting'' in the quake-stricken areas. Police and special military units were on special alert against looters during Friday's solemn funeral here for the victims of Monday's devastating earthquake. The premier recalled that 700 policemen have been specifically deployed to deal with looting. The government announced this week it would introduce a new anti-looting law which will stiffen penalties for anyone caught stealing in quake-stricken areas.

h. 17:09
PREMIER OFFERS HIS HOMES
(ANSA) - L'Aquila, April 10 - Premier Silvio Berlusconi on Friday offered his houses to people left homeless in the wake of the earthquake that killed 289 and devastated Abruzzo capital L'Aquila and surrounding towns Monday. ''Many people have offered their own houses to help refugees from the earthquake, and I will also do what I can by offering my houses,'' he told journalists. The premier, whose homes include Villa Certosa, a luxury villa on the Sardinian coast, and a mansion outside Milan, did not specify which homes he would make available. Around 40,000 people have been left temporarily or permanently homeless by the quake, most of whom are currently being housed in tent camps, while around 15,000 are staying in hotels on the Abruzzo coast paid for by the state or private houses. Experts on Friday began inspecting the stability of buildings left standing, after which they will be able to tell residents and owners whether or not they can move back in. But Berlusconi noted that the high number of aftershocks from last Monday's earthquake in the Abruzzo region is very ''worrisome''. Since the April 6 quake, which measured 5.8 on the Richter scale, there have been 806 tremors, nine of which measured between four and five in magnitude. ''There has been no let up in seismic activity and this is of great concern,'' he said. The premier meanwhile urged survivors not to give in to anger and despair. ''We've learned from past experiences that once the initial phase of surviving a quake is over, it is followed by a phase of despair and anger. We've got to do avoid these feelings,'' he said. Berlusconi added that the government would make ''every effort'' to avoid keeping the homeless in tent camps or caravans. ''The hotel accommodation we've organised offer acceptable lodging, unlike being sheltered in tents'' he said. ''The government will do all it can to find decent lodgings for the homeless without keeping them in tents, caravans or shacks and prefabs which are a dramatic solution, especially for young people and the aged''. PREMIER OUTLINES CLEAN-UP TIMETABLE. Outlining how the clean-up operation will proceed, Berlusconi said it would take ''at least two months'' to assess the damage. ''After that we'll begin tearing down (damaged buildings) and start rebuilding,'' the premier said. ''The area has been divided into six zones and we're already surveying what needs to be done. Superintendents will be tasked with coordinating the reconstruction phase which will begin immediately after,'' said the premier. The media mogul-turned politician said he had also suggested dividing the quake-stricken area into 100 projects and asking the country's 100 provincial governments to take responsibility for their reconstruction. ''What's certain is that every construction site will have a sign showing when work will begin and when it ends,'' said the premier, who has repeatedly guaranteed that reconstruction will be carried out according to a scheduled timetable. He reiterated his idea of creating a ''new'' city, or L'Aquila 2, to flank the original devastated in the quake, but stressed this would be additional to, and not instead of, the rebuilding of L'Aquila itself. Denying that the new town would be a ''ghetto'', he said it would be built respecting local architectural traditions. ''It'll be a new area for young couples without homes,'' said Berlusconi, who was a construction entrepreneur who built the trendy Milan suburbs of Milano2 and Milano3 before investing in finance, sport and media. 
'SEVERAL BILLIONS EUROS' REQUIRED. Speaking on Thursday, Berlusconi said funds for rebuilding the quake-hit areas would likely require ''several billion euros'', but added that these ''would be found''. On Friday he said Italy has ten weeks to present a detailed report to the European Union fund for natural disasters and expected to receive ''between 400 and 500 million euros over three years''. He added that the Italian government had already earmarked 100 million euros to deal with the disaster as well as an additional 16 million from the education ministry to rebuild student housing destroyed in the quake. A decree containing measures to ease financial pressures on those left temporarily or permanently homeless by the earthquake will be issued after Easter. The package includes a monthly sum of 400 euros to help with rent for families, a monthly allowance of 800 euros for business owners who have had to cease activity, and suspensions on electricity, gas and mortgage payments. Berlusconi meanwhile appealed for political unity as Italy faces the aftermath of the quake, describing the cooperation as ''not only necessary but indispensable''. The premier added that he hopes to return to the stricken area over Easter. Photo: Berlusconi at the funeral for quake victims on Friday.