This past summer, on August 24th, 2016, the country of Italy suffered a devastating tragedy and it was felt worldwide. An earthquake with a 6.2 magnitude struck central Italy. The small commune of Amatrice in the province of Rieti and the northern area of Lazio were left in shambles. Historic buildings were wrecked, and remnants of the city were all that remained. The calamitous quake killed 247 civilians and injured hundreds. Firefighters were sent all over the area that was hit the worst to save residents from crumbling buildings. Furthermore, rescue efforts were made throughout the night thanks to Italy’s Civil Protection Department. The town of Amatrice, home to only about 2,000 residents, was left in complete chaos with only its clock tower still standing. When describing the gravity and aftermath of the quake, Mayor Sergio Pirozzi solemnly stated to CNN affiliate Rai, “The town is no more”. The town’s residents were distraught. It was difficult for Red Cross to truly determine how many were affected by the quake; August is such a popular travel month for Italy that many of the city’s inhabitants may have been traveling and coming home to a wrecked home.

The town is still working with organizations such as Red Cross and is receiving help from other nations who are reaching out to the struggling country in a difficult time. This wasn’t the first time that Italy suffered something like this. Multiple earthquakes left dozens killed and hundreds injured in May of 2012, as well as a 6.3-magnitude earthquake hit the Aquila region in central Italy killing approximately 300. The country still suffers today, as it was hit with another tremor on October 30th, 2016, injuring at least 20 people.