The L'Aquila earthquake

Early Monday morning, central Italy was struck by a 6.3 magnitude earthquake. The 2009 L'Aquila earthquake caused serious damage to several medieval hill towns in the region, killing over 260 residents, injuring over 1,000 and leaving 28,000 homeless. Despite the dangers from aftershocks, the search for survivors continues, and will be maintained until Sunday, after which the daunting tasks of cleanup and reconstruction willl begin.

Shattered roofs of collapsed houses are seen against the backdrop of snow-covered mountains after an earthquake in the Italian village of Onna April 6, 2009. (REUTERS/Chris Helgren)

An aerial view of the destruction in the city of L'Aquila, central Italy, Monday, April 6, 2009. A powerful earthquake in mountainous central Italy knocked down whole blocks of buildings early Monday as residents slept - the country's deadliest quake in nearly three decades, officials said. (AP Photo/Guardia Forestale, HO)

Part of the wall of a house still stands amongst the rubble of collapsed buildings in the village of Castelnuovo, central Italy, Monday, April 6, 2009. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)

The Duomo Cathedral of San Massimo is seen damaged in the town center of L'Aquila, central Italy, on Tuesday, April 7, 2009. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)

Six-year-old Sara Luce and her mother eat as they rest outdoors after an earthquake caused the collapse of St. Salvatore Hospital in Aquila April 6, 2009. (REUTERS/Giampiero Sposito)

An Italian military carabinieri walks on debris past destroyed buildings after an earthquake, in downtown Aquila April 6, 2009. (REUTERS/Alessandro Bianchi)

Rescue workers search for bodies amongst the rubble of a destroyed building on April 6, 2009 in L'Aquila, Italy. (Marco Di Lauro/Getty Images)

A destroyed house is seen April 07, 2009 at the entrance of the off-limits village of Onna, near the epicenter of the April 6, 2009 earthquake in the region of the Abruzzo capital of L'Aquila. (CHRISTOPHE SIMON/AFP/Getty Images)

Hands of a lifeless body lie amidst the debris of a collapsed home in the city of L'Aquila, after a strong earthquake rocked central Italy, early Monday, April 6, 2009. (AP Photo/Pier Paolo Cito)

Giulio Colangeli is carried away by rescuers as his father Antonello reacts, in the city of L'Aquila early Monday, April 6, 2009. (AP Photo/Pier Paolo Cito)

Rescuers work to recover victims from inside a building overnight on April 8, 2009 in the Abruzzo capital L'Aquila. (FILIPPO MONTEFORTE/AFP/Getty Images)

A view of Santa Maria Paganica church, severely damaged after the earthquake of April 7, 2009 in L'Aquila, Italy. (FILIPPO MONTEFORTE/AFP/Getty Images)

A resident sleeps in a car in a yard in the Abruzzo capital L'Aquila on April 8, 2009 . (FILIPPO MONTEFORTE/AFP/Getty Images)

Local people who were evacuated following a violent earthquake the day before wake up after spending the night in a shelter set up in a gymnasium of L'Aquila sport center university early on April 7, 2009. (MARIO LAPORTA/AFP/Getty Images)

A coroner carries the body of an infant to place with its mother in a coffin, after an earthquake in the Italian village of Onna April 6, 2009. (REUTERS/Chris Helgren)

Crushed cars are seen on a field in the Italian village of Onna April 7, 2009. (REUTERS/Alessia Pierdomenico)

Destroyed houses in the village of Onna are seen in this aerial view near L'Aquila, Italy on April 7, 2009. (REUTERS/Max Rossi)

A damaged house in the village of Castelnuovo, central Italy, following a strong earthquake, Monday, April 6, 2009. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)

An aerial view of Santa Maria Paganica church in L'Aquila, central Italy, on Tuesday, April 7, 2009, a day after a powerful earthquake struck the Abruzzo region. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)

A survivor sits in an ambulance a day after an earthquake struck the Italian village of Onna April 7, 2009. (REUTERS/Chris Helgren)

An entrance hall in a destroyed house is seen the morning after an earthquake struck the Italian village of Onna April 7, 2009. (REUTERS/Chris Helgren)

A rescuer continues to look for survivors in the remains of a collapsed building on April 8, 2009 in the Abruzzo capital L'Aquila. (FILIPPO MONTEFORTE/AFP/Getty Images)