The earthquake that hit the Abruzzo capital L'Aquila Monday killed at least 179 people, injured 1,500 and left 17,000 homeless, rescue services said Tuesday.
Some 1,500 people were injured and 34 still missing about 30 hours after the 6.2 magnitude quake, Italy's worst in 30 years.
A 24-year-old student, Marta, gave rescue teams hope as she emerged out of the ruins of a collapsed house 23 hours after the tremor.
So far some 100 people have been pulled out of the rubble alive.
The worst-hit place has been Onna, a village outside L'Aquila, which has lost 39 of its 250 inhabitants.
Some 280 aftershocks have been felt since the quake - the biggest, 4.8 magnitude, at 01.15 Tuesday (23:15 GMT Monday).
People are still being ferried to hotels on the sea while some of L'Aquila's 10,000 homeless spent the night in their cars.
Premier Silvio Berlusconi is expected back on the scene Tuesday after announcing a relief and reconstruction package of 30 million euros and proclaiming national mourning.
