BRUSSELS (Sputnik) — Earlier in the day, Italy's Civil Protection Department head Angelo Borrelli said that nearly 2,600 people had been rendered homeless by this natural calamity.
"The EU is fully ready to help… We stand ready to provide any immediate assistance the national authorities could require," Stylianides said in a statement, offering his condolences to families and friends of victims.
Italy: Tourist island Ischia hit by deadly earthquake https://t.co/lR8KxirXpN pic.twitter.com/O2m0CocfHE
— euronews (@euronews) 22 августа 2017 г.
The commissioner noted that the island's infrastructure, including hospitals and churches, had been damaged by the earthquake.
The earthquake took place on Monday 08:58 p.m. local time (18:58 GMT), with the epicenter located close to western coast of the island at the depth of 6.2 miles. Italy’s national volcanology institute first reported about a magnitude 3.6 earthquake, but after midnight experts corrected the estimates, saying that the magnitude was 4.0. According to the latest data, at least two people were killed and 39 were injured. Several buildings collapsed as a result of the disaster.
