L’AQUILA, Italy — Strong aftershocks Tuesday sent a fresh wave of fear across earthquake-shattered central Italy, and rescue crews pulled a young woman alive from a collapsed building about 42 hours after the main quake struck the mountainous region.
Eleonora Calesini, a 20-year-old student, was found alive in the ruins of the five-story building in central L’Aquila, said her grandfather, Renato Calesini, in the seaside town of Mondaini.
“She’s safe!” he said, adding that her father had gone to the devastated city in the snowcapped Apennine mountains to try to locate the student.
She reportedly had an arm injury but was in good condition otherwise.
The death toll from Italy’s worst earthquake in three decades climbed to 235, with 15 still missing, civil-protection officials said. The dead included four students trapped in the rubble of a dormitory of the University of L’Aquila, the ANSA news agency reported.
Rescue crews gave up gingerly removing debris by hand and brought in huge pincers that pulled off parts of the dorm roof, balconies and walls, showering debris down.
“Unless there is a miracle, I’ve been told (by rescuers) that they probably are dead,” university rector Ferdinando Di Orio said.
A strong aftershock at 7:47 p.m. rained debris on screaming residents and rescue crews, who fled the site.
“I want to go home! I want to go home!” screamed a woman identified only as Patrizia after chunks of facade rained down on her and others from a cracked building. Her hands trembled as crews gave her a cup of water.
Her boyfriend, Agostino Paride, 33, an engineer, said they had driven to L’Aquila from Civitella Rovedo, about 45 miles away, to bring food and clothing to relatives in a tent camp.
To shelter the homeless against another chilly night in the mountains, about 20 tent cities sprouted in open spaces around L’Aquila and surrounding towns. Field kitchens, medical supplies and clowns with balloons — to entertain traumatized children — were brought in.
Officials estimated Monday that 50,000 people had been left homeless by the quake. By Tuesday evening, that number was lowered to between 17,000 and 25,000 because many moved in with friends or relatives.
“I don’t know how I’ll make it,” a dazed Pierina Diletti said as she stood in a nightgown outside her tent.
Premier Silvio Berlusconi, who visited one of the encampments, said about 14,500 people were being sheltered in the blue tents.
Officials said about 10,000 to 15,000 buildings were damaged or destroyed in the 26 cities, towns and villages around L’Aquila, a picturesque city of 70,000. Teams planned to begin surveying buildings still standing today to see whether residents can return.
Experts say many of the buildings in the most vulnerable regions of earthquake-prone Italy don’t meet modern seismic-safety standards.
In the town of Onna, residents walked around dazed, clutching whatever heirlooms they had managed to grab before their homes collapsed.
“We lost 15 members of our family. Babies and children died,” said 70-year-old retiree Virgilio Colajanni, choking back tears. Onna had about 300 residents and lost 40 to the quake. The town was nearly leveled.
