LDS Missionaries In Central Italy Accounted For And Uninjured After Devastating L'Aquila Earthquake Which Has Killed 179 And Injured Over 1,500

In the wake of a deadly earthquake in central Italy, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints confirmed that its missionaries located in the area are fine and accounted for. Church spokesman Scott Trotter said there are four missionaries from the Rome Italy Mission in that area, but they are O.K. "They are safe and are communicating with the mission president via cell phones", Trotter said. "They have plenty of food and water and are staying in their apartments until local authorities say it is safe to go out".

A couple of comments posted to the Deseret News story since initial publication indicate that the situation is fluid, and that the missionaries may now be staying in a temporary "Tent City" until their apartment is judged safe.

another Anonymous | 12:59 p.m. April 6, 2009
The info is incorrect. My brother in law is one of the four missionaries. They are not in their apartment. Matter of fact my wife and I have been forwarded emails from the mission pres. They are not allowed to go back IN their apartment until it is safe. They are sleeping in a tent until further notice, and have plenty of clothes and blankets. They have been with the people in the town since it has happened...

Cami Grigg Davis | 1:01 p.m. April 6, 2009
My little brother is one of the four missionaries serving in L'Aquila, and they are not in their apartment. They were awakened at 3:30 am their time by a 6.3 earthquake, and have since been helping athorities find survivors. They are currently going to be staying in the "Tent City" that has been made for tens of thousands of people who have lost their homes, my little brother being one of them. I ask that everyone please keep all the missionaries, and their families, and the families in Italy who have been effected by this tragedy to be in your prayers. Thank you.

Here's an al-Jazeera report on the earthquake:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uEYSdwsxM-s



The quake in L'Aquila, about 75 miles northeast of Rome, registered 6.3 on the Richter scale and was followed by several aftershocks. According to the latest CNN report, the quake has now claimed 179 lives, with more deaths expected since anywhere from 70 to 100 people are believed to be trapped in the wreckage. Italy's Civil Protection agency reported at least 1,500 injured and 50,000 without shelter.

"I can say there's hardly a building which was left without some sign of what has happened in the historical center of L'Aquila", Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi said during a visit to the stricken region. "All the public buildings have been affected".

And already some controversy has arisen in the wake of the quake. An Italian scientist who predicted a major earthquake around L'Aquila weeks before disaster struck the city was reported to authorities for spreading panic among the population. After the first tremors in the region were felt in mid-January, seismologist Gioacchino Giuliani predicted a large quake was on the way, based upon concentrations of radon gas around seismically active areas. He was reported to police for "spreading alarm" and was required to remove his findings from the Internet.