Funeral Cars Begin Duty in Italy
With a death toll of more than 270 and rising, funeral cars in the Italian town of L’Aquila have begun taking the dead to their final resting places. Today, funerals are scheduled to begin for people who were killed during one of the most devastating earthquakes to ever hit the area. Because of the nature of the funerals, the Vatican granted a dispensation that allowed a funeral Mass on Good Friday for many of the known victims.
In addition to the dead, about 30,000 residents of the area are homeless and thousands of people are lining up for food and water. There are still 15 people missing in the destruction and chaos as rescue workers continue to search for them and anyone else who may be alive in the rubble. Officials say it will likely be a couple months before they know the extent of the damage.
“For now, the needs are basic. The people in the camps, they don’t have toothbrushes, they don’t have toothpaste,” said the mayor of the city.
The 6.3 earthquake occurred in L’Aquila and surrounding towns in central Italy on Monday. It was felt for more than 230 square miles. It was the worst earthquake in Italy in the last three decades. As a result, funeral cars and rescue workers have their jobs cut out for them in the days and weeks to come in the destructive aftermath. Keep the victims, their families and the helpers in your thoughts and prayers.
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