Italy earthquake kills at least 120, reduces towns to rubble

AMATRICE, Italy — Rescue crews using bulldozers and their bare hands raced to dig out survivors from a strong earthquake that reduced three central Italian towns to rubble Wednesday.

Residents wakened before dawn by the temblor emerged from their crumbled homes to find what they described as apocalyptic scenes “like Dante’s Inferno,” with entire blocks of buildings turned into piles of sand and rock, thick dust choking the air and a putrid smell of gas.

Premier Matteo Renzi visited the zone Wednesday, greeted rescue teams and survivors, and said the toll stood at 120 dead and was likely to rise.

Worst affected were the tiny towns of Amatrice and Accumoli near Rieti, about 60 miles northeast of Rome, and Pescara del Tronto, about 15 miles farther east.

The quake zone is a popular spot for Romans with second homes, and the population swells in August when most Italians take their summer holiday.