A strong earthquake shook central Italy early Wednesday causing extensive damage to areas near the epicenter and killing at least 37 people.
The U.S. Geological Survey put the magnitude at 6.2 with an epicenter about 10 kilometers southeast of the town of Norcia. The shaking was felt across a large part of the region, including the capital, Rome, 150 kilometers away.
The quake struck just after 3:30 a.m. and was followed by multiple aftershocks. The hardest-hit areas included the towns of Amatrice and Accumoli. Amatrice Mayor Sergio Pirozzi told state-run broadcaster RAI a large portion of the town was destroyed.
Rescuers worked after daybreak to try to reach those trapped in the rubble of collapsed buildings.