Italian prime minister Silvio Berlusconi said he feared the death toll from the mudslides that have hit Sicily could rise to 50, as rescue teams continue digging through the mud.

Six people, including four children, were killed today as a magnitude-6.3 earthquake struck central Italy, reports said.

Overwhelmed Italian officials said they will cut off the queue of pilgrims hoping to see Pope John Paul’s body at St Peter’s Basilica tonight as a massive line snaked down a wide boulevard, through ancient alleyways and onto a bridge.

Two massive aftershocks caused more walls to tumble and left a rising cloud of dust over the remains of Iran’s earthquake devastated city of Bam today.

The tiny volcanic island of Stromboli in southern Italy was closed off to tourists today after a landslide caused several injuries.