Anguish in Italy as quake death toll continues to rise

As strong aftershocks shake central Italy, the death toll from Wednesday’s quake has risen to 241. Rescue crews continue to comb the rubble looking for survivors. Most victims lived in the towns of Amatrice and Accumuli, both almost completely leveled. The initial magnitude-6 temblor also toppled several churches and other medieval-era buildings in the area. At least 470 aftershocks have rumbled across the region since then. “We’re still in a phase that allows us to hope we’ll find people alive,” said firefighters’ spokesman Luca Cari. Following the 2009 earthquake that rocked the nearby town of L’Aquila, crews rescued one survivor after 72 hours in the rubble.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.