Shocks hinder rescue work in quake zone

Aftershocks hampered rescuers in central Italy early today as they picked through rubble for a third night in their search for survivors of the earthquake that killed 272 people.

One tremor measuring 5.2 shook the medieval mountain city of L'Aquila and nearby villages. It caused damage to buildings and was felt in Rome, 60 miles to the west. The shocks terrified many of the survivors, 17,000 of whom stayed in tent villages for another cold night after being made homeless.

Relatives began holding private funerals for the dead. A mass funeral will take place in L'Aquila tomorrow and a day of mourning across Italy has been declared, which will see shops and businesses closing for part of the day and flags flown at half mast. Giuseppe Molinari, bishop of L'Aquila, will conduct the mass.

In L'Aquila, one resident said people were shocked to have lost so many. "The town has been reduced to rubble with over 40 dead and lots of them were young," said Antonella Massi. "A whole generation cancelled out."

Last night police arrested two looters with almost £80,000 of stolen goods from damaged homes.