Updated - August 27, 2016 - 9:30 a.m. ET:

- Death toll totals 290, based on count by Italian officials

- Towns in Italy start burying victims, 

- Aftershocks still felt as of Saturday, August 27, 2016

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Updated - August 25, 2016 - 9:00 a.m. ET:

- At least 241 people are confirmed dead, according to Italian authorities

- Survivors are still believed to be buried under the rubble

- Shake map and epicenter of quake:

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UPDATED - August 24, 2016 - 5:13 p.m. ET:

- At least 120 people are confirmed dead, according to Italian authorities

- Rescuers' efforts hindered by lack of proper tools, personnel due to magnitude of destruction

- Mayor of Amatrice, town at epicenter, laments town "is no more
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Latest Photos:

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Rescuers in central Italy are reported to be desperately digging through rubble with their bare hands, frantically hoping to find any survivors from the massive, 6.2 magnitude earthquake that tore through the area early Wednesday, August 24, 2016 as the number of casualties is expected to rise. See the video, photos of the destruction as well as the map of the province provided .

At least 63 people are already reported dead and dozens more remain either injured or missing. Authorities report after the initial hit a series of aftershocks blasted through several surrounding towns, causing even more damage and destruction.

Death Count in Amatrice at 38

In the small town of Amatrice, just 80 miles northeast of Rome, as many as 38 are said to have perished, with another 17 casualties in the nearby province of Ascoli Piceno. Overall, rescuers warn that the total death toll could climb much higher. .

"Half of the town doesn't exist anymore," cried Amatrice Mayor Sergio Perozzi. "People are stuck underneath the rubble. Houses are no longer there."

Authorities report they could hear cries for help from under the heaps of rubble and rescuers had taken to frantically trying to dig out survivors as they waited for needed heavy equipment to reach the scene.

The entire center of Amatrice is reported to have collapsed in a heap with many of buildings directly falling on unsuspecting residents as they slept through the early hours of the morning. The local hospital was among the most badly damaged structures, forcing ambulances to have to transport patients to other towns.

As daybreak came early Wednesday, search parties sifted through high rubble in many towns and villages, giving authorities their best first-hand look at all the destruction.

"Now that daylight has come, we see that the situation is even more dreadful than we feared with buildings collapsed, people trapped under the rubble and no sound of life," said Stefano Pertucci, mayor of nearby Accumoli.

National Emergency Declared

A national emergency has now been activated for the area, with some lamenting that in terms of pure devastation the quake appears to be on par with one in L'Aquilla seven years ago that killed more than 300 people.

Five Things to Know About Italy Earthquake:

1 Earthquake at 6.2 magnitude.

2 Initial rumble struck at 3:36 a.m. local time and was followed by second 5.4 magnitude seism.

3 U.S. Embassy has restricted all travel to the area.

4 The 2009 earthquake in L'Aquilla that killed more than 300 registered at 6.3 magnitude.

5 U.S. State Department requesting that all Americans now in Italy make contact to let family members know they are safe.

Italy Earthquake Video* & Pictures

*Videos have not been independently confirmed by Latin Post.