Death Toll in Italy Quake Hits 15

A second earthquake within 10 days jolted northern Italy this morning, a 5.8 tremor that killed at least 15 people and injured another 200. The quake hit at 9am local time, again just north of the city of Bologna, reports the AP; a 6.0 temblor on May 20 killed seven people there, and television footage this morning showed refugees from that quake watching the shaking incredulously from their tents.

Today's earthquake collapsed warehouses, factories, and churches, and brought the total number of people left homeless from the two earthquakes to about 14,000, say local officials. The AP describes the region as "one of Italy's most agriculturally and industrially productive areas." (More Italy stories.)