6.3 Magnitude Quake Rocks Central Italy

Ninety people are reported dead and 50,000 homeless following a 6.3 magnitude earthquake which occurred in central Italy in the early morning hours of April 6, 2009. It is believed that entire towns have been destroyed as a result of the quake which hit at 3:32 am local time. The quake struck 95 km NE of Rome, Italy and 115 miles SE of Perugia, Italy in the Abruzzo region. Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi has declared a state of emergency for the region, where the worst damage is reported in the picturesque medieval town of L'Aquila which suffered severe damage in earlier earthquakes occurring in 1461 and 1703.