World
Italy quake death toll rises to 247
Rome : The death toll in the devastating 6.2 magnitude earthquake that struck central Italy’s mountainous region has risen to at least 247 even as thousands of rescuers continued efforts to find survivors.
Dozens were believed trapped beneath debris in the ruined towns of Amatrice, Accumoli and Pescara del Tronto which were levelled to the during the catastrophe on August 24.
Search parties scavenged through rubble and building debri through the night, even as a strong aftershock rocked already damaged buildings, BBC reported.
Many of the victims were children, Italy’s Health Minister said, and there were warnings the toll could rise further.
Late on Wednesday, there were cheers in the village of Pescara del Tronto when a 4-year-old girl Giorgia Rinaldo was pulled alive from the rubble after being trapped for 17 hours.
The little girl’s sister was found moments later, but she was dead.
Nearby, two girls and their grandmother were pulled from the rubble, but they had also tragically died, the Mirror reported.
At least 4,300 rescuers were roped in by the Italian authorities to continue efforts to find the missing. The rescuers used heavy lifting equipment and their bare hands to exhume bodies and rescue victims.
Rescuers said they pulled five bodies from the ruins of the Hotel Roma in the historic town of Amatrice. At least 70 tourists were staying at the hotel when the quake struck. Many were feared to be in the rubble, though several were pulled out and offered medical attention.
The quake struck small towns and villages in the mountainous area where the regions of Umbria, Lazio and Le Marche meet.
People spent the night outside or in tents provided by the emergency services.
Popular British singer Lily Allen who was on holiday in Umbria, where the earthquake hit near the town of Norcia — a favoured tourist destination — confirmed that she was safe, after leaving a family holiday in Italy early, the Independent reported.
Among the victims was an 18-month-old toddler, Marisol Piermarini, whose mother Martina Turco survived the deadly April 2009 earthquake in L’Aquila and had moved away from there after the experience, Ansa reported.
Turco was being treated in hospital after being pulled from the rubble in the village of Arquata del Tronto.
Despite a massive rescue and relief effort — with army, Alpine crews, carabineri, firefighters, Red Cross crews and volunteers, it wasn’t enough: A few miles north of Amatrice, in Illica, residents complained that rescue workers were slow to arrive and that loved ones were trapped beneath ruins, the Independent reported.
“We are waiting for the military,” said a victim Alessandra Cappellanti, adding, “there is a base in Ascoli, one in Rieti, and in L’Aquila. And we have not seen a single soldier. We pay! It’s disgusting!”
Secretary General of the Italian Red Cross Flavio Ronzi said there was still hope to find people alive.
“We are still finding some survivors because there is still some time, we can still find someone alive but of course hour by hour it’s going to be more difficult and with less possibilities,” the BBC quoted Ronzi as saying.
The Italian branch of the Red Cross sent at least 20 ambulances and sniffer dogs to affected areas alongside the Italian Defence Ministry on Wednesday.
Lucknow: Vishal Singh, a renowned social worker from Lucknow, also known as Foodman, has once again made India proud. He was honored by the Happy Hands Gloves Cooperative Limited Company in Korathai, Thailand, for his work with the Hunger Free World Mission.
The Hunger Free World Mission’s meeting was held in Korathai, Thailand, under Vishal Singh’s leadership. Representatives from several countries, including Mr. Raja Dwivedi (Managing Director of Happy Hands Gloves Limited), Thailand Coordinator Mr. Raja Mishra, and member Mr. Varun Singh, attended the event.
Under Vishal Singh’s leadership, the attendees took a pledge to work together toward creating a hunger-free world.
Speaking on the occasion, Vishal Singh explained that the main goal of the Hunger Free World Mission is social participation. He said the mission is not just about feeding people but also about meeting other basic needs of those who are struggling. The mission focuses on helping families of terminally ill patients in hospitals by providing food and shelter. It also works to fulfill essential needs like education, jobs, and care for the elderly.
For the last 16 years, the Vijay Sri Foundation has been providing free services, benefiting thousands of people. Vishal Singh highlighted that the mission aims to gain global recognition like other organizations such as WHO, WWF, and Red Cross, which work for social causes.
During this meeting, Vishal Singh was appointed as the Chairman of the Hunger Free World Mission by representatives from various countries. They also discussed holding regular meetings in different countries to push the mission forward.
Business tycoon Dr. Abhishek Verma has also supported this humanitarian mission, vowing to promote the idea of “Seva Parmo Dharma” (Service is the highest duty) worldwide. Vishal Singh praised him, stating that people like Dr .Abhishek Verma inspire others to work for the betterment of society.
Recently, Romania’s Ambassador, Mr . Daniela Sezonov Ţane, invited Vishal Singh to the Romanian Embassy in Delhi, where they discussed the mission in detail. Impressed by his humanitarian work, she honored Vishal Singh and invited him to Romania to take the mission forward .
Food man Vishal Singh has been serving the people of India for the past 16 years. Through the Vijay Sri Foundation, he provides free meals to cancer patients & their families ,shelter, and education for women & children along with running free old-age homes in Lucknow.
In addition to his humanitarian work, Vishal Singh also addresses issues like crime and corruption through his role as Chairman of Seva Path Media and Managing Director of Vijay Sri Foundation.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Vishal Singh and his team worked tirelessly to provide food and help to the needy, including starving children, elderly citizens, and pregnant women. Despite contracting the virus himself, he continued to assist others after his recovery. He even created a life-saving oxygen regulator using household items, which was praised by doctors both in India and abroad.
In his address at the meeting, Vishal Singh spoke about his mission to create a hunger-free world. He pointed out that India’s large population, along with issues like unemployment and poverty, has caused the country to fall on the Hunger Index. He urged people to contribute just one handful of grains daily to help create a hunger-free world.
He concluded by saying that through social participation, we can empower the people around us, meet their basic needs, and work together to build a stronger, more prosperous, and developed society.
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