Child pulled alive from rubble after quake

Ischia (Italy), Aug 22 (IANS/AKI) Rescuers on Tuesday pulled alive from rubble a seven-year-old boy and were working to reach his 11-year-old brother after their home was flattened by a 4.0 magnitude earthquake on the resort island of Ischia off Naples.

The rescued boy, Mattias, was put on a stretcher and taken to hospital covered in cement dust and wearing just his underwear, 13 hours after the temblor struck at 9 p..m on Monday, destroying the family's home in Casamicciola village.

"Mattias has been rescued. We are working non-stop to pull out Ciro," Italian fire brigade tweeted, referring to the boy's older brother.

The two brothers survived in an air pocket under the rubble after they sheltered under their bunk beds when the house began to collapse and rescuers managed to lower bottles of water and a flashlight down to them.

Firemen at 4 a..m rescued the boys' seven-month-old brother, Pasquale, to loud cheers from crowds of onlookers.

The boys' mother, who is reportedly pregnant, managed to escape through a window when the quake struck while their father was pulled out from beneath masonry soon afterwards.

The undersea quake killed at least two women and injured 39. It left 2,000 people homeless in Casamicciola and a further 600 in Lacco Ameno.

Most of the damage was in the high part of the volcanic island, with hotels and residences on the coast not appearing to suffer serious damage. However, many holidaymakers headed to the island's ports on Tuesday after deciding to return hom early.

--IANS

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