Italy earthquake: 293 cultural heritage sites collapsed or damaged

Following a devastating earthquake that struck central Italy, affecting Lazio, Marche, Umbria, and Abruzzo, Culture Minister Dario Franceschini reported that 293 immovable cultural assets have collapsed or been severely damaged. The figures, based on initial assessments by the crisis unit, were announced at a press conference at Collegio Romano. Franceschini noted that the number is expected to rise as seismic activity spreads along fault lines. The most affected sites include the 14th-century Church of Santa Croce in Arquata del Tronto, the Basilica of San Francesco and the Civic Museum in Amatrice, the Church of Sant'Agostino, and the Eremo della Madonna della Stella in Poggiodomo (Perugia). General Fabrizio Parrulli of the Carabinieri Cultural Heritage Protection Unit stated that 50 of these sites have already been inspected and are largely collapsed. Starting Monday, concrete damage assessments will begin where safety permits. A coding system similar to medical triage will assign yellow or red codes to prioritize interventions.