Day after,Italians comb through rubble

Rescuers struggled on Tuesday to pull bodies from the debris and seek survivors as the death toll from the earthquake here climbed.....

Rescuers struggled on Tuesday to pull bodies from the debris and seek survivors as the death toll from the earthquake here climbed beyond 200 and after-shocks sent trepidation through this mountainous region east of Rome.

By early afternoon on Tuesday,the number of dead from the earthquake which struck before dawn on Monday had risen to 207,17 of whom have yet to be identified,Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi said during a visit to survey the damage.

He said that 15 people were still missing,and that 100 of the 1,000 people injured were in serious condition. Around 17,000 are estimated to be homeless. Speaking at a press conference,Berlusconi said that rescue efforts would continue for another 48 hours and that there was still hope of finding people alive under fallen masonry and walls.

The prime minister,who declared a local state of emergency on Monday,said that Italy would not accept help from foreign countries,but was grateful for their support.