Rome:
The Italian Prime Minister has declared an emergency after a powerful earthquake hit central Italy devastating historic mountain towns and killing at least 150 people.
Italy is criss-crossed by two fault lines, making it one of Europe's most quake-vulnerable regions, with some 20 million people at risk.
Dozens of people are missing, over 1,500 injured and some 50,000 have been rendered homeless after the pre-dawn quake struck L'Aquila and its region.
Emergency crews have reportedly pulled 60 people alive from the rubble.
Survivors are being housed in hotels or a tent city, which has been erected in the medieval hill city, but the weather was a cause for concern as it began to rain during the night hampering the rescuers.
At least 5,000 rescue workers are in the region and hospitals, Reuters reports, have appealed for help from doctors and nurses throughout Italy.