London, April 7: Scientists have said that Italy is prone to earthquakes because it sits at the junction of two tectonic plates, leaving 40 per cent of the population of the country at risk.

Seven years ago, 30 people died – including 27 schoolchildren and their teacher – during a quake centred on the southern town of San Giuliano di Puglia.

Central Umbria was shattered by a disturbance 12 years ago, which killed 13 people and destroyed hundreds of historic buildings.

Rome, Apr. 7 : The 6.3-magnitude earthquake that struck central Italy on Monday morning has damaged at least four old churches.

The Italian Culture Ministry said the Basilica of Santa Maria di Collemaggio, a striking pink-and-white stone-faced structure, was among the buildings severely damaged.

It is known for its architecture and for an annual pilgrimage to honor 13th-century Pope Celestine V, a former hermit who was both crowned and buried there.

L'Aquila, Italy  - Aftershocks as strong as magnitude 4.8 on the Richter scale continued to rock central Italy overnight Monday, the ANSA news agency reported.

Civil defense officials said it was the strongest since the major earthquake before dawn Monday, which struck the ancient town of L'Aquila and the surrounding mountains, about 100 kilometres north- east of Rome. That quake has been estimated at a magnitude of 6.2, and the death toll climbed late Monday to more than 150.

Another aftershock reached a magnitude of 3.6.

Washington  - The United States will make emergency relief funds available to Italy as the death toll rose from an early morning earthquake in central Italy, a US official said Monday.

The amount of 50,000 dollars would be processed through the US embassy in Rome to help after the quake killed more than 150 people in the ancient town of L'Aquila and surrounding mountainous areas about 100 kilometres north-east of Rome.

L'Aquila, Italy  - The death toll from the heavy earthquake that struck central Italy early Monday had gone beyond 150, far higher than the last previous accounts, the Ansa news agency reported.

The temblor struck the ancient town of L'Aquila and the surrounding mountainous areas about 100 kilometres north-east of Rome in the early hours of Monday.

The agency cited hospitals in the quake-struck region north-east of the capital Rome in reporting the figure, which was well up on the previous toll of at least 90 people killed.

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