Italy commemorates fifth anniversary of deadly earthquake

Italians paid tribute to the victims of an earthquake that flattened entire towns in central Italy five years ago.

Nearly 300 people were killed when a 6.2-magnitude quake hit Amatrice and other small towns in the early hours of 24 August 2016. Thousands more were injured and left homeless as more than a dozen tremors rattled the region over the following months.

Italian prime minister Mario Draghi, who laid a commemorative wreath at the monument to victims in Amatrice, vowed to accelerate reconstruction efforts which have slowed due to bureaucratic issues.