Medieval Italian hill town destroyed in deadly earthquake was preparing to celebrate food festival

In three days, the rugged residents of the medieval Italian hill town of Amatrice had planned to hold one of their most joyful events of the year: the 50th edition of a food festival celebrating their beloved Amatriciana pasta dish, which is made from local ingredients.

Instead, they will now be mourning the dozens dead from a strong earthquake that trapped residents in their homes as they slept.

The mayor said about 70 people had been staying in the Hotel Roma, a town landmark that has a restaurant which serves the famous pasta dish. Rescue workers pulled five bodies from the rubble of the hotel but had to halt rescue operations late on Wednesday night because it was too dangerous working in the dark.

Roberto Renzi said he was sleeping “soundly and most tranquilly” when he was jostled awake by the 6.2-magnitude tremor. He said he instantly knew this quake was far, far worse than the “little movements” locals are used to in this quake-prone belt straddling Italy’s rocky Apennines mountains.

His three-story house and the one next to it miraculously remained standing, but the door to his third-floor bedroom was jammed by the quake. He grabbed a fire stoker and pried the door open and ran with his wife to the safety of the street. Renzi said a woman who owns a bed and breakfast across the street escaped by knotting bed sheets and climbing down her building.