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Saletta, Italy (CNN) [Breaking news update, posted at 12:30 a.m. ET on August 25]

At least 247 people were killed after a 6.2-magnitude earthquake struck central Italy Wednesday, according to Italy's Civil Protection Department.

[Previous story, posted at 10:16 p.m. ET on August 24]

In the small Italian towns hit hard by a magnitude-6.2 earthquake that struck in the middle of the night, rescuers feverishly dug through the rubble of downed homes and apartments looking for survivors.

In one such rescue, shown on CNN affiliate Sky TG24, a firefighter in Amatrice clawed at the rubble, trying to get to a little girl.

He pulled back bricks and other debris as his co-workers and other men leaned in.

Suddenly there was a foot, and leg, then the other leg.

An 8-year-old girl is rescued from under a collapsed building

In the video, a man seems to be talking to the girl, as someone repeatedly says the name "Julia."

Several people wriggle in to help the firefighter.

The firefighter clutches a girl, said to be 8 years old, and walks her out of the huge pile of rubble as a volley of cheers erupts.

The girl silently holds on. It is impossible to tell what color clothes she is wearing because she is coated in gray dust.

"Bella ragazza!" one bystander says as the girl is carried to safety. "Beautiful girl!"

Similar scenes played out in Amatrice and the other towns hit hardest by the deadly quake, which killed at least 159 people, according to ANSA, Italy's national news agency.

The quake

The powerful earthquake hit 10 kilometers (6.2 miles) southeast of Norcia at 3:36 a.m. (9:36 p.m. Tuesday ET).

Italy's Civil Protection agency said of the people killed in the quake, at least 53 of them were in the town of Amatrice, and at least 100 people were injured. Other fatalities were reported in the nearby towns of Accumoli and Arquata del Tronto.

More than 1,000 people have been displaced by the quake, and the Civil Protection agency said no residents will be allowed to sleep in the devastated town of Amatrice Wednesday night.

"Right now we feel terrible pain," Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi said after touring some of the affected areas. "Italy is a family that has been hit and struck, but we are not going to be stopped."

Addressing the nation Wednesday, Renzi vowed to spare no effort in the critical window following the quake when lives could still be saved.

"In difficult times, Italy knows what to do," he said.

The death toll is expected to rise as rescue teams work through the rubble, with regular aftershocks posing a continuing threat.

Hard-to-reach locations

In the village of Saletta, a settlement of about 20 people, residents used their bare hands to ferret through the rubble of a two-story home in a desperate search for neighbors.

CNN's Barbie Nadeau and her crew escaped injury when a home collapsed behind her in Saletta as she did a Facebook Live session.

JUST WATCHED Building collapses live in Italy Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH Building collapses live in Italy 00:54

Rescue efforts continued through the night, said Luigi D'Angelo, an official with Italy's Civil Protection Department.

"Many cases have shown in the past that even after two days people can be rescued alive," he said. "So we want to continue."

With heavy lifting equipment just starting to reach the isolated village, people used tractors, farm equipment and simple hand tools to break through what was left of old stone villas.

Photos: Earthquake strikes central Italy Firefighters help residents recover personal belongings from damaged houses in the village of Rio, Italy, on Sunday, August 28. A 6.2-magnitude earthquake struck central Italy on Wednesday, killing more than 290 people. The death toll is expected to rise as rescue teams reach remote areas. Hide Caption 1 of 50 Photos: Earthquake strikes central Italy Firefighters stand by an excavator in Amatrice, Italy,on August 28, as dangerously damaged buildings and overhanging ledges are pulled down. Hide Caption 2 of 50 Photos: Earthquake strikes central Italy A rescued dog receives treatment in a veterinary care unit in Amatrice, Italy on August 28. Hide Caption 3 of 50 Photos: Earthquake strikes central Italy Volunteers on motorbikes drive through the town of Villa San Lorenzo a Flaviano, Italy, on August 28 as they bring supplies to smaller villages. Hide Caption 4 of 50 Photos: Earthquake strikes central Italy A destroyed house is seen on Saturday, August 27, in Pescara del Tronto, Italy. Hide Caption 5 of 50 Photos: Earthquake strikes central Italy Police inspect rubble and debris in Amatrice, Italy, on August 27. Hide Caption 6 of 50 Photos: Earthquake strikes central Italy A drone controlled by Italian firefighters flies over damaged houses in San Lorenzo, Italy, on August 27. Hide Caption 7 of 50 Photos: Earthquake strikes central Italy Damaged coffins and rubble are seen at the cemetery of Sant'Angelo, Italy, on August 27. Hide Caption 8 of 50 Photos: Earthquake strikes central Italy Rescuers of the Italian Red Cross carry the body of a victim in Amatrice, Italy, on Friday, August 26. Hide Caption 9 of 50 Photos: Earthquake strikes central Italy Firefighters and rescue workers stand near the damaged Sant'Agostino church and a destroyed ice cream shop in the Italian village of Amatrice on Friday, August 26. Hide Caption 10 of 50 Photos: Earthquake strikes central Italy A woman rests in the courtyard of a convent in Amatrice on August 26. Hide Caption 11 of 50 Photos: Earthquake strikes central Italy Firefighters inspect a damaged building from the elevated platform of a firetruck in Amatrice on August 26. Amatrice has been the hardest-hit town, with more than 200 killed there. Hide Caption 12 of 50 Photos: Earthquake strikes central Italy An aerial view shows the damage in the village of Saletta on August 26. Strong aftershocks in the region have rattled residents and emergency crews. Hide Caption 13 of 50 Photos: Earthquake strikes central Italy A man and woman comfort each other in front of a collapsed house in Amatrice on August 26. Hide Caption 14 of 50 Photos: Earthquake strikes central Italy Firefighters cordon off an area around the rubble from a destroyed building in Amatrice on August 26. Hide Caption 15 of 50 Photos: Earthquake strikes central Italy Emergency team members set up a tent camp for earthquake victims at a sports field in Arquata del Tronto on August 26. Hide Caption 16 of 50 Photos: Earthquake strikes central Italy Rescuers make their way through destroyed houses in Pescara del Tronto on Thursday, August 25. It's unclear how many people remain trapped under debris. Hide Caption 17 of 50 Photos: Earthquake strikes central Italy A field kitchen in Amatrice provides meals for emergency workers and earthquake survivors on August 25. Hide Caption 18 of 50 Photos: Earthquake strikes central Italy Rescue and emergency service personnel use an excavator to search for victims under the remains of a building in Amatrice on August 25. Hide Caption 19 of 50 Photos: Earthquake strikes central Italy An old building in Amatrice is partly damaged after the quake. Hide Caption 20 of 50 Photos: Earthquake strikes central Italy An emergency services helicopter takes off in Amatrice as rescuers continue the search for survivors. Hide Caption 21 of 50 Photos: Earthquake strikes central Italy A man rests on a bench after spending the night in a makeshift camp set up inside a gym in Amatrice on August 25. Hide Caption 22 of 50 Photos: Earthquake strikes central Italy A bird's eye view of Amatrice shows the devastation after the deadly quake struck on Wednesday, August 24. Hide Caption 23 of 50 Photos: Earthquake strikes central Italy Rescuers help a woman from the rubble in Amatrice on August 24. Hide Caption 24 of 50 Photos: Earthquake strikes central Italy Search-and-rescue teams survey collapsed houses in Pescara del Tronto on August 24. Hide Caption 25 of 50 Photos: Earthquake strikes central Italy A man cries as another injured man is helped in Amatrice. Hide Caption 26 of 50 Photos: Earthquake strikes central Italy This woman in Amatrice was wounded during the earthquake. Hide Caption 27 of 50 Photos: Earthquake strikes central Italy Rescuers carry a man through earthquake debris in Amatrice. Hide Caption 28 of 50 Photos: Earthquake strikes central Italy Rocco Girardi receives treatment after being rescued from the rubble in Arquata del Tronto on August 24. Hide Caption 29 of 50 Photos: Earthquake strikes central Italy The body of a unidentified child lies on a bench in Arquata del Tronto on August 24. Hide Caption 30 of 50 Photos: Earthquake strikes central Italy The quake left this house in ruins in Arquata del Tronto. Hide Caption 31 of 50 Photos: Earthquake strikes central Italy Two people hug each other next to damaged houses in Pescara del Tronto. Hide Caption 32 of 50 Photos: Earthquake strikes central Italy Two women pass along a stuffed toy in Amatrice on August 24. Hide Caption 33 of 50 Photos: Earthquake strikes central Italy Residents take in the damage in Amatrice. Hide Caption 34 of 50 Photos: Earthquake strikes central Italy This aerial photo shows damaged buildings in Amatrice. The quake struck at 3:36 a.m and was felt across a broad swath of central Italy. Hide Caption 35 of 50 Photos: Earthquake strikes central Italy An emergency hospital camp is set up to treat earthquake victims in Arquata del Tronto. Hide Caption 36 of 50 Photos: Earthquake strikes central Italy A woman tries to comfort her child in Amatrice on August 24. Hide Caption 37 of 50 Photos: Earthquake strikes central Italy Residents survey a collapsed staircase in Amatrice on August 24. Hide Caption 38 of 50 Photos: Earthquake strikes central Italy Residents of Pescara del Tronto care for an elderly earthquake victim on August 24. Hide Caption 39 of 50 Photos: Earthquake strikes central Italy Search-and-rescue teams look for survivors in Pescara del Tronto. Hide Caption 40 of 50 Photos: Earthquake strikes central Italy Survivors sit among the rubble of a house in Amatrice on August 24. Hide Caption 41 of 50 Photos: Earthquake strikes central Italy Residents search for victims in Amatrice. Hide Caption 42 of 50 Photos: Earthquake strikes central Italy An injured man is rescued from a collapsed building in Amatrice on August 24. Hide Caption 43 of 50 Photos: Earthquake strikes central Italy A man leans on a wall in Pescara del Tronto. Hide Caption 44 of 50 Photos: Earthquake strikes central Italy A dog searches for people trapped in collapsed buildings in Amatrice. Hide Caption 45 of 50 Photos: Earthquake strikes central Italy Rescuers search for victims in Amatrice on August 24. Hide Caption 46 of 50 Photos: Earthquake strikes central Italy A man is pulled alive from the rubble. Hide Caption 47 of 50 Photos: Earthquake strikes central Italy A man surveys damage near a dust-covered car in Amatrice on August 24. Hide Caption 48 of 50 Photos: Earthquake strikes central Italy Two people huddle together in Amatrice after the earthquake. Hide Caption 49 of 50 Photos: Earthquake strikes central Italy A rescue worker drives a truck of rubble as cleanup operations begin in Amatrice. Hide Caption 50 of 50

Many settlements are only accessible by small roads, posing a challenge for authorities moving in heavy machinery to the disaster sites.

On a roadside, stunned residents in dust-covered pajamas sought comfort after every aftershock.

Emma Tucker, deputy editor of British newspaper The Times, was in Italy's Marche region, about 85 kilometers from the epicenter, when her house started "trembling, shaking ... an absolutely appalling noise."

"It felt like someone had put a bulldozer over the house and was trying to knock it down," she told CNN.

The powerful jolt was felt as far away as Rome, 100 miles from the epicenter.

"It lasted for at least 30 seconds. The entire hotel was shaking," said Charlotte Smith, coach of Elon University women's basketball team in North Carolina, who was in Rome with her players when the quake hit.

"It was pretty terrifying," she said.

The university released a statement later, saying the team was headed back to Charlotte, North Carolina.

Amatrice 'is no more,' says mayor

The towns at the epicenter of the quake -- Amatrice, Accumoli and Arquata del Tronto -- are scenes of devastation, with what were once charming three-story buildings pancaked by the disaster.

Collapsed and damaged houses in Pescara del Tronto.

Much of the houses in the area -- unreinforced brick or concrete frame buildings -- were vulnerable to earthquakes, according to the US Geological Survey, and offered little resistance to the powerful temblor.

Amatrice, a town of about 2,000 people in the north of Italy's Lazio region, is in ruins. But amid the rubble, the town's clock tower stood tall, with the clock stopped at the time the quake struck.

"The town is no more," Mayor Sergio Pirozzi told CNN affiliate Rai.

The towns, situated amid remote, mountainous terrain, are particularly popular in the summer with tourists seeking a scenic getaway from the heat of the city.

Red Cross spokesman Tommaso della Longa said the fluctuating population during the vacation season made it hard to know exactly how many people might be trapped in the debris.

Pope calls for prayers

Pope Francis called for prayers for those affected by the disaster while Italian President Sergio Mattarella said "the entire country should rally with solidarity around the affected populations."

"At the moment we need to employ all our forces to save human lives, treat the injured and ensure the best conditions for the people displaced," he said.

Search and rescue teams survey the rubble of collapsed buildings in Pescara del Tronto.

President Barack Obama called Mattarella on Wednesday to offer US assistance.

The leaders of France, Germany and Russia all expressed their sympathy over the disaster, while the Italian Voluntary Blood Association made an appeal for people to donate blood to help treat those affected.

Italy is no stranger to deadly quakes.

In May 2012, a pair of earthquakes killed dozens of people in northern Italy, while in April 2009, a magnitude-6.3 earthquake hit in the Aquila region of central Italy, killing 295. The earthquake Wednesday struck an area close to the 2009 earthquake.

Are you in Italy? Are you affected by the earthquake? If it's safe for you to do so, WhatsApp us on +44 7435 939 154 to share your photos, experiences and video. Please tag #CNNiReport in your message.