Pope Francis set to visit Italy earthquake regions

• Report by ITV News Correspondent Olivia Kinsley

Pope Francis has said he will visit the area of Italy affected by Wednesday's devastating earthquake and bring "comfort of faith" to the local inhabitants.

At least 291 were killed in Amatrice, Accumoli and Arquata del Tronto after a 6.2-magnitude quake struck the region.

Leading prayers at St Peter's Square on Sunday, he said: "Again, I tell those dear populations that the church shares their suffering."

He added that he will visit the area as soon as possible, but didn't specify a date.

Pope Francis' announcement comes on the same day prosecutors blamed the high death toll on cut-price renovations that were in breach of local building regulations.

As questions mount over the death of hundreds, prosecutor Giuseppe Saieva said that property owners who commissioned sub-standard work could be held responsible for contributing to the quake's deadly impact.

Mr Saieva said the tragic incident could not simply be dismissed as an unavoidable natural disaster.

"If the buildings had been constructed as they are in Japan they wouldn't have collapsed," he told newspaper La Repubblica.

Within hours of the quake hitting on Wednesday, Mr Saieva was in Amatrice inspecting the damage in the town before opening a preliminary investigation for possible culpable homicide and causing a disaster.

The crushed walls of a collapsed three-storey villa were among the issues that he spotted in the town.

"I can only think it was built on the cheap with more sand than cement," he said.

A number of architectural and engineering experts have highlighted widespread use of cheap cement beams for extensions as a possible factor in why so many buildings collapsed.

Cement beams become deadly if released by shaking, because they will crush older walls beneath them, making them huge risks.

"If it emerges that individuals cut corners, they will be pursued and those that have made mistakes will pay a price," the prosecutor said.