Italy: Monti visits quake area, met with jeers

Sant'Agostino, 22 May (AKI) - Italian prime minister Mario Monti was met with boos and jeers during a visit to the area hardest hit by an earthquake in Italy's north over the weekend.

"Thieves, shame, stay home," some hecklers screamed late Monday in Sant'Agostino, a town near Ferrara in the Emilia Romagna region.

Seven people were reported killed and thousands displaced by the 5.9 magnitude quake that struck at 4:04 am on Sunday. Many churches, homes, historical sites and commercial buildings were destroyed or severely damaged

A ceramics factory in Sant'Agostino collapsed killing four people working a late-night shift.

"The state has to help the citizens, not the banks" a woman in Sant'Agostino told Italy's Sky news channel.

Monti said he will declare a state of emergency later Tuesday when he meets with his cabinet of ministers, meaning public funds will be released to aid the disaster area.