A firefighter cuddles his dog as rescuers continue searching through the rubble in Amatrice, central Italy, Monday, Aug. 29, 2016 after last Wednesday's earthquake. (Massimo Percossi/ANSA via AP)
The Associated Press
AMATRICE, Italy (AP) - Construction crews worked through the night to build a tent complex to host an Italian state funeral Tuesday in quake-devastated Amatrice after outraged residents rejected the government's plan to hold the service in a distant airport hangar.
The evening Mass for more than 200 of the 292 people killed in the Aug. 24 earthquake is the second state funeral for victims of the temblor that flattened three towns in central Italy. The first, held Saturday, honored victims from the Le Marche region. Tuesday's funeral is for the victims of neighboring Lazio, including hard-hit Amatrice.
The service will take place on the edge of Amatrice's obliterated medieval center on the grounds of a Catholic retreat for the elderly. It comes as Italy is observing a second day of national mourning, with flags on public buildings flying at half-staff.
Initially, authorities planned to hold the funeral in the provincial capital of Rieti, 65 kilometers away, citing safety concerns. The area has seen more than 2,500 aftershocks and faces logistical problems in bringing relatives and government officials to a town that only has one serviceable access road.
But grieving residents rebelled at plans to let them watch it on TV or be bussed to Rieti. Sensing a public relations disaster, Premier Matteo Renzi reversed course late Monday and announced the funeral would be held in Amatrice.
Early Tuesday, bulldozers and steamrollers were preparing the grounds for the service while temporary tents were erected to shelter the altar and seating stands. It wasn't clear how many caskets would be on hand, given that most had already been transferred to the makeshift morgue in Rieti's airport.
So far, 231 victims have been found in Amatrice and 11 more in nearby Accumoli. The bodies of as many as 10 people, including Amatrice's baker, are believed to be still buried under the rubble of the hundreds of buildings that collapsed. Fifty people were killed in Le Marche.
For those who survived, Tuesday's funeral is only one step in tackling a long-term trauma.
"They're living through a blackout," said Letizia Bellabarba, a social worker with the Group for Humane Solidarity who is tending to survivors. "I mean, in 20 seconds - that's how long the earthquake lasted - in 20 seconds their life changed. So they are disoriented, because they feel they were left without a future."
A firefighter stands amid rubble as he watches the bell tower of Amatrice, central Italy, Monday, Aug. 29, 2016. Italian authorities are pondering how to provide warmer, less temporary housing for quake homeless living in tents in the Apennine Mountains region. Nearly 2,700 people whose homes collapsed or left unsafe by the Aug. 24 temblor now stay in 58 tent camps or other shelters arranged by the Civil Protection agency. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni)
The Associated Press
Firefighters carry personal belongings retrieved from houses, in Amatrice, central Italy, Monday, Aug. 29, 2016 after last Wednesday's earthquake. With thousands left homeless after Wednesday's earthquake, authorities are debating how to provide warmer, sturdier housing for them besides the rows of emergency blue tents set up in the Apennine Mountains, where even summer nights can get chilly. (Massimo Percossi/ANSA via AP)
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Firefighters stand outside a house where they are retrieving personal belongings for its owner, in Pretare, near Arquata del Tronto, central Italy, Monday, Aug. 29, 2016. With thousands left homeless after Wednesday's earthquake, authorities are debating how to provide warmer, sturdier housing for them besides the rows of emergency blue tents set up in the Apennine Mountains, where even summer nights can get chilly. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)
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Firefighters leave a house after retrieving personal belongings for its owner, in Pretare, near Arquata del Tronto, central Italy, Monday, Aug. 29, 2016. With thousands left homeless after Wednesday's earthquake, authorities are debating how to provide warmer, sturdier housing for them besides the rows of emergency blue tents set up in the Apennine Mountains, where even summer nights can get chilly. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)
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A view of the tent camp that was set in Arquata Del Tronto, central Italy, Monday, Aug. 29, 2016. With thousands left homeless after Italyâs earthquake, authorities are debating how to provide warmer, sturdier housing for them besides the rows of emergency blue tents set up in the Apennine Mountains, where even summer nights can get chilly. (Cristiano Chiodi/ANSA via AP)
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Boys walk in the tent camp that was set in Arquata Del Tronto, central Italy, Monday, Aug. 29, 2016. With thousands left homeless after Italyâs earthquake, authorities are debating how to provide warmer, sturdier housing for them besides the rows of emergency blue tents set up in the Apennine Mountains, where even summer nights can get chilly. (Cristiano Chiodi/ANSA via AP)
The Associated Press
A satellite image showing the town of Amatrice before Wednesday's earthquake, top, and computer generated images taken before and after the quake, bottom, are made available Monday, Aug. 29, 2016 by the Italian Space Agency. The blue computer generated image at bottom right shows a normal situation in Amatrice before the quake, the change of color in the image at left shows that there has been some damage, and the red computer generated image at center shows the area with the most damage. (Italian Space Agency via AP)
The Associated Press
A view of the tent camp that was set in Arquata Del Tronto, central Italy, Monday, Aug. 29, 2016. With thousands left homeless after Italyâs earthquake, authorities are debating how to provide warmer, sturdier housing for them besides the rows of emergency blue tents set up in the Apennine Mountains, where even summer nights can get chilly. (Cristiano Chiodi/ANSA via AP)
The Associated Press
People rest in a playground next to the tent camp that was set in Pescara Del Tronto, central Italy, Monday, Aug. 29, 2016. With thousands left homeless after Italyâs earthquake, authorities are debating how to provide warmer, sturdier housing for them besides the rows of emergency blue tents set up in the Apennine Mountains, where even summer nights can get chilly. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)
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The door of a collapsed house in Peschiera Del Tronto, central Italy, Monday, Aug. 29, 2016. Italian authorities are pondering how to provide warmer, less temporary housing for quake homeless living in tents in the Apennine Mountains region. Nearly 2,700 people whose homes collapsed or left unsafe by the Aug. 24 temblor now stay in 58 tent camps or other shelters arranged by the Civil Protection agency. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)
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Firefighters work to clear a street from debris in Peschiera Del Tronto, central Italy, Monday, Aug. 29, 2016. Italian authorities are pondering how to provide warmer, less temporary housing for quake homeless living in tents in the Apennine Mountains region. Nearly 2,700 people whose homes collapsed or left unsafe by the Aug. 24 temblor now stay in 58 tent camps or other shelters arranged by the Civil Protection agency. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)
The Associated Press
Firefighters work to clear a street from debris in Peschiera Del Tronto, central Italy, Monday, Aug. 29, 2016. Italian authorities are pondering how to provide warmer, less temporary housing for quake homeless living in tents in the Apennine Mountains region. Nearly 2,700 people whose homes collapsed or left unsafe by the Aug. 24 temblor now stay in 58 tent camps or other shelters arranged by the Civil Protection agency. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)
The Associated Press
Firefighters work to clear a street from debris in Peschiera Del Tronto, central Italy, Monday, Aug. 29, 2016. Italian authorities are pondering how to provide warmer, less temporary housing for quake homeless living in tents in the Apennine Mountains region. Nearly 2,700 people whose homes collapsed or left unsafe by the Aug. 24 temblor now stay in 58 tent camps or other shelters arranged by the Civil Protection agency. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)
The Associated Press