NORCIA/CAMERINO, ITALY (Reuters) - Italy's fire department on Wednesday (Nov 2) released aerial footage recorded by drones flying over the central Italian towns hit by last week's earthquakes.

No deaths or critical injuries were reported after the quakes on Oct 26 and Oct 30, or the several aftershocks that have followed, partly because many people had fled their homes after a smaller quake nearby killed almost 300 people in August.

The video released by the fire department showed partially collapsed buildings in the towns of Camerino and Norcia, as well as a badly damaged cemetery in the nearby Preci.

The fire brigade also released video of firefighters retrieving religious artwork and artifacts from badly damaged churches in Norcia.

Thousands of people from the quake-hit towns are staying in hotels and temporary accommodation on the Adriatic Coast and around Lake Trasimeno, close to the university city of Perugia.

Prime Minister Matteo Renzi has pledged to rebuild the stricken areas, deploy more emergency and administrative officials, and speed up the provision of containers for people to live in, before eventually building wooden houses.

Mr Renzi said on Wednesday he would increase government borrowing if more money is required to help communities affected by the quakes.