Update: 247 confirmed dead, 368 injured in central Italy earthquake
The death toll in Wednesday’s earthquake in Central Italy has increased to at least 247 as rescue efforts continued throughout the night.
At least 368 others have been injured, officials said.
Many more are still believed to be under piles of rubble and thousands of rescuers are using machinery and bare hands to find them.
The country’s health minister said many of the victims were children and that the toll could rise even higher.
The 6.2-magnitude quake hit at 03:36 (01:36 GMT) on Wednesday 100km (65 miles) north-east of Rome.
Hardest hit were the small towns and villages in the mountainous area where the regions of Umbria, Lazio and Le Marche meet.
People there spent the night outside or in tents provided by the emergency services.
