Sniffer dogs arrive to Italian quake zone

AMATRICE, Italy (AP) — Sniffer dogs, earthmovers and other heavy equipment are arriving to the quake zone area to help with the rescue effort and provide for those left homeless by the earthquake.

Tent cities and kitchens were being set up in and around the major towns hit by Wednesday’s magnitude 6 temblor.

More than 12 hours after the quake struck a slow procession of earth-moving vehicles loaded on the beds of firetrucks made their way to the edge of the hard-hit hilltop city Amatrice.

Rescue teams poured in from nearby regions: spelologists from Umbria, Alpine rescue experts from Abruzzo and canine units from elsewhere in Italy.