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CNN Saturday Morning News

More Tremors Shake Central Italy

Aired November 02, 2002 - 07:38   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: More tremors shook central Italy today as leaving families continued grappling with the devastating outcome of an earthquake earlier this week. Twenty-six children died after a quake destroyed their school on Thursday and now people are wondering if anything could have been one to prevent the tragedy.
Our Chris Burns is following the story in San Giuliano Di Puglia, and he is on hillside above what is a beautiful place and amid that place is a tense city. Chris why don't you just give us the lay of the land first.

CHRIS BURNS, CNN: Yes, Miles, that's a good idea. This is a -- it's a nation that is transfixed on this -- this -- earthquake that has devastated this town, these people.

Actually, if you look over my shoulder, it doesn't look too bad. In fact, most of this medieval town, 11th century, is standing and that is where the debate is because that school that has collapsed in there is 1950s construction, so that is a lot of the debate.

But let's pan over this countryside which is absolutely beautiful -- it's the Apennines Mountains -- these people -- it's a farming community, they raise olive oil, they raise grapes, wine grapes. And as you look over there, that blue over there -- is the tent city -- that is where the people -- the 12-1300 people of the town, San Giuliano Di Puglia, are staying now. They are homeless. Because of this earthquake and the aftershocks that have been going on over night as well.

A five-pointer this morning just after dawn. Rattling frayed nerves of these people, and of course all town counting with the terror of the grief of the 26 children almost a whole generation of these children here in this town, the first grade that were wiped out in the earthquake.

And if you look at some of the headlines of the national papers, "The Nation Transfixed," (Speaks Italian), it's a "Nightmare Without End."

And if you look very closely down at this little picture down here, that is blown up on another major newspaper (Speaks Italian), these are the students who were killed and their teacher. All but one of the students were killed in this group here.

This town of 1300 mourning and grieving; they're getting condolences from around the world. President Bush, the European leaders, the Pope -- and tomorrow there will be a funeral with President Ciampi attending -- Miles. O'BRIEN: All right thank you very much Chris Burns for that update; we appreciate it.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com






Aired November 2, 2002 - 07:38   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: More tremors shook central Italy today as leaving families continued grappling with the devastating outcome of an earthquake earlier this week. Twenty-six children died after a quake destroyed their school on Thursday and now people are wondering if anything could have been one to prevent the tragedy.
Our Chris Burns is following the story in San Giuliano Di Puglia, and he is on hillside above what is a beautiful place and amid that place is a tense city. Chris why don't you just give us the lay of the land first.

CHRIS BURNS, CNN: Yes, Miles, that's a good idea. This is a -- it's a nation that is transfixed on this -- this -- earthquake that has devastated this town, these people.

Actually, if you look over my shoulder, it doesn't look too bad. In fact, most of this medieval town, 11th century, is standing and that is where the debate is because that school that has collapsed in there is 1950s construction, so that is a lot of the debate.

But let's pan over this countryside which is absolutely beautiful -- it's the Apennines Mountains -- these people -- it's a farming community, they raise olive oil, they raise grapes, wine grapes. And as you look over there, that blue over there -- is the tent city -- that is where the people -- the 12-1300 people of the town, San Giuliano Di Puglia, are staying now. They are homeless. Because of this earthquake and the aftershocks that have been going on over night as well.

A five-pointer this morning just after dawn. Rattling frayed nerves of these people, and of course all town counting with the terror of the grief of the 26 children almost a whole generation of these children here in this town, the first grade that were wiped out in the earthquake.

And if you look at some of the headlines of the national papers, "The Nation Transfixed," (Speaks Italian), it's a "Nightmare Without End."

And if you look very closely down at this little picture down here, that is blown up on another major newspaper (Speaks Italian), these are the students who were killed and their teacher. All but one of the students were killed in this group here.

This town of 1300 mourning and grieving; they're getting condolences from around the world. President Bush, the European leaders, the Pope -- and tomorrow there will be a funeral with President Ciampi attending -- Miles. O'BRIEN: All right thank you very much Chris Burns for that update; we appreciate it.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com