Italy earthquake leaves at least 132 dead, rescuers racing against time

In the Italian village of Saletta, a tiny 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.

They called out names as they dug through the remains of a bedroom. Rescue dogs sniffed and clawed through the debris, with no signs of life.

The scene played out over and over after a strong, shallow earthquake devastated towns in central Italy early Wednesday, killing at least 132 people and placing rescuers in a desperate race against time to try to pull survivors from the rubble.

As night fell, some villagers placed chairs near homes reduced to piles of rubble. Covered in blankets, they sat patiently and vowed to be, at the very least, present when the remains of loved ones were discovered.

Other residents, unable to sleep, wandered the streets.

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."

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

A man surveys the damage in Amatrice.

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.

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.

Italy's Civil Protection agency said of the people killed in the 6.2 magnitude 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.

At least 132 people have been killed and hundreds more injured, according to CNN affiliate Rai News.

"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."