Italy held a state funeral today for victims of its worst earthquake in three decades, as the death toll climbed to 289 and survivors voiced anger that houses simply collapsed.
Thousands of mourners prayed before 205 coffins covered by flowers and photos of the dead, laid out on the parade ground of a police academy in the mountain city of L'Aquila, the worst hit by Monday's 6.3 magnitude quake, before being taken for burial.
Small white caskets with the bodies of children lay on their parents' coffins, some with a favourite toy placed on top. The youngest was a five-month-old boy, killed with his mother.
Some mourners kissed and hugged coffins at a mass led by the second highest priest in the Vatican, Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone.
"I feel spiritually present in your midst and share your anguish," said a message read out from Pope Benedict.
Flags flew at half-mast on a national day of mourning, shops lowered shutters, airports stopped take-offs for a minute's silence and traffic wardens removed their bright jackets.
Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi appeared emotional as he offered comfort to bereaved relatives. The billionaire premier offered to put up some of the thousands of people made homeless in some of his luxurious villas dotted around the country.
"I will do what I can too, by offering some of my houses," said the 72-year-old media mogul, Italy's second richest man.
Five days after the earthquake, rescuers were still sifting through the rubble.
Hopes of finding at least one more survivor were lifted today after rescuers in L'Aquila detected a noise coming from beneath the debris. Still, they cautioned it could just be an animal.
"We called in the sniffer dogs. The dogs got excited and barked. It could mean there is a human being alive," a firefighter said.
Firefighters accompanied some people into their homes to retrieve personal items as soldiers guarded against looters. Mr Berlusconi said four Romanians had been arrested for looting.
Violent aftershocks, some felt in nearby Rome, continued to shake Abruzzo region overnight, further terrifying survivors.
The number of people made homeless by the quake has risen to almost 40,000, Mr Berlusconi said, with 24,000 living in emergency camps and 15,000 given shelter in hotels or private homes.
Reuters