Italy's day of national mourning post-quake

(Newshub.)
(Newshub.)

The sun has risen over Italy on a day of national mourning for the almost 300 victims of Wednesday's earthquake.

No survivors have been found since Thursday morning but rescue teams have vouched to continue the search until everyone is accounted for.

Europe correspondent Tova O'Brien visited Illica, a small and ancient village that's been almost entirely wiped out.

Illica hasn't featured heavily in the official reports or media as one of worst hit towns but relative to its size it's suffered some of the greatest damage and loss of life.

The town is one of the smallest in Italy's heartland, with only around 30 people living there permanently, but during the summer, the population swells 100 fold.

The town is trying to make sense of five deaths in their close, family community.

Carlo Cappellanti was staying with his grandmother in Illica when the earthquake hit. He escaped with a few facial injuries when the ceiling fell on him and his four year old son

"We started to hear shouting and people crying and rocks because all the houses here are built with big, big rocks so rocks started to fall," he says.

Christina Trita was faced with an impossible decision when the earthquake hit.

"My mother was very ancient so I didn't know if I help my mother or help my daughter, it was terrible."

She saved them both.

It seems insurmountable but residents do want to rebuild although some are left asking whether the town will exist in the future.

Newshub.