The death toll from a 6.2 magnitude earthquake which struck central Italy early on Wednesday has risen to at least 159 with hundreds more injured.
More than half of those killed were in the historic town of Amatrice – where the mayor has reportedly said more than 75 per cent of the town was destroted – and the nearby community of Accumoli.
Rescuers have been working around the clock to rescue people from the rubble. Dozens of aftershocks have been felt across the region.
Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi has paid tribute to those who rushed to help after the earthquake and promised that “no family, no city, no hamlet will be left behind”.
“Today is a day for tears. Tomorrow we can talk of reconstruction,” he was reported as saying.
