Luigi Botti considers himself lucky to be alive.
ADVERTISEMENTLuigi Botti considers himself lucky to be alive. He was in his apartment in the centre of Amatrice with his wife when the earthquake struck in the early hours of Wednesday morning.
“We escaped in the dark. I’ve been wearing the same clothes for three days and my wife is in pyjamas,” he told our reporter.
He points to the third floor of the building. The inside of the apartment apparent through a gaping hole. Inspecting the damage Luigi begins to count the cost.
“I bought the place with a loan from a bank. I had already finished paying the loan… but the building is also finished.”
The damage to the building is so extensive that he feels going back isn’t worth the risk.
“I came back to take the keys of my car the same night, but the floor, it felt like a water mattress. Should I return there? There are valuable things inside, but life is life.”
Luigi fears the approach of winter in the mountains.
“We hope God will help us…without a house, without anything, we hope somebody will help us… because winter is really hard.”