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Georgia offers help to Italy after deadly earthquake

Initial reports say many people are still trapped under rubble following a deadly earthquake in central Italy. Photo by Reuters.
Agenda.ge, 24 Aug 2016 - 13:57, Tbilisi,Georgia

Georgia is willing to provide support for Italy to help the country recover from a devastating earthquake that killed almost four dozen people dead and left many more trapped in rubble under collapsed buildings.

 A 6.2 magnitude earthquake struck central Italy at 03:36 (01:36 GMT), 100km north-east of Rome.

 Initial reports state many of the dead were from the village Pescara del Tronto in central Italy, which was levelled to the ground. Thirty-seven people are confirmed dead but there were fears the number could rise, BBC reported.

 As dawn broke stunned locals wandered through rubble in the worst-affected towns of Amatrice and Accumoli, near Perugia, Italy, said NBCNEWS.

 Earlier this morning Georgia’s Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili offered his condolences to Italy and tasked the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to "immediately contact” officials in Italy and relay that Georgia was ready to provide a "modest contribution” to the affected nation.

The Ministry also released a statement today that expressed deep sorrow about the earthquake and the resulting deaths.

 The Ministry said there were no Georgians reported among the dead or injured.

 In case of need, Georgians living in Italy can contact Georgia’s Embassy via the hotline: +39 333 887 91 23.

The Consulate Department in Georgia’s Foreign Ministry has also set up a hotline (+995 32) 294 50 50 and this is available during working days from 9am to 7pm, while after 7pm and during the weekends people can phone the Department on (+995) 577 98 40 20, at any time day or night.