Quake strikes East Timor & Italy

DILI - A SHALLOW 5.4-magnitude quake struck the island of Timor on Monday, the United States Geological Survey (USGS) said, but there were no immediate reports of casualties or damage.

The moderate earthquake occurred at 3.45am (1945 GMT on Sunday, 3.45am Singapore time) about 10km under the ocean floor some 112km from Kupang in West Timor and 179 km off the East Timorese capital of Dili, the agency said.

The island of Timor sits on the Pacific Ring of Fire, where continental plates meet, causing seismic and volcanic activity.

Italy quake kills 13

		Residents of Rome, which is rarely hit by seismic activity, were woken by the quake. Furniture rattled and car alarms went off. -- PHOTO: EARTHQUAKE.USGS.GOV

ROME - A STRONG earthquake killed at least 13 people in Italy early on Monday, including four children, Italian television station Sky TG24 reported, while eight people were reported missing, public safety and hospital sources said.

Italy faces 2 fault lines Italy is criss-crossed by two fault lines, with some 20 million people at risk from earthquakes. A 5.9 earthquake that hit the Italian regions of Molise and Puglia on Oct 31, 2002 left 30 people dead, 27 of whom were children trapped when their elementary school collapsed. ... more

An elderly woman and a baby girl in central Italy's Abruzzo region were crushed in a building that collapsed in the town of Fossa, near the Abruzzo capital L'Aquila. They were pulled from the rubble of their home, but rescue workers were unable to revive them, the all-news television channel also said.

Another eight people were missing in nearby San Demetrio dei Vestini, public safety officials said. Part of of a university residence, a church tower and several houses also collapsed in the city of L'Aquila.

There was no immediate word on whether anyone was inside the dormitory. Television pictures showed rubble on a number of streets in L'Aquila and at least one modern house whose roof collapsed. The pictures also showed the rubble from a collapsed bell tower. The ANSA news agency reported that rescue workers were at the scene in the Abruzzo capital.

Damage was also reported in a number of outlying towns and villages in the mountainous region east of Rome.

The earthquake measuring 6.3 on the Richter scale rocked central Italy and was felt in the Italian capital Rome.

The US Geological Survery said the epicentre of the quake, which struck in the early hours at about 0132 GMT (9.32am Singapore time), was located 68km west of the town of Pescara and 95km north-east of Rome.

Residents of Rome, which is rarely hit by seismic activity, were woken by the quake. Furniture rattled and car alarms went off.

Earthquakes can be particularly dangerous in parts of Italy where centuries-old buildings are left in disrepair.

The quake was the latest and strongest in a series to hit the l'Aquila area on Sunday and Monday.