The aftermath of the deadly 6.2-magniture earthquake that devastated central Italy has caused further tragedy, as the hard-hit areas of Amatrice, Accumoli and Pescara del Tronto were riddled with hundreds of aftershocks, with some coming as late as Thursday.

Amidst all the rubble, rescuers are operating in full force, attempting to free as many people and animals from collapsed buildings houses. As of Thursday, the death toll of the deadly earthquake is grim, with 247 people now confirmed dead from the disaster.

Another 264 people have been moved to a hospital for treatment.

Historical Towns Lost Forever

What was especially tragic from Wednesday's earthquake was the fact that it hit some of Italy's most beautiful and oldest towns. Amatrice, which is the hardest hit area with 184 people dead, is a popular spot for tourists. August is actually a time when the cozy, little town is populated with tourists.

Hotel Roma, one of the most prolific hotels in the area, was housing about 70 tourists when the deadly 6.2-magnitude quake struck on Wednesday. Five bodies have been pulled out of the hotel's rubble so far, and rescuers fear that many more lie trapped inside.

Hope Among the Rubble

Despite the grim scenario around the affected areas in the country, however, several incidents have sparked hope among the survivors. One such incident involved a firefighter who recovered a little girl that was trapped in the rubble for 17 hours. As more people helped the firefighter, they were able to eventually pull her to safety. Crowds of people cheered as she was carried away from the rubble.

Other rescuers found some pets buried in the buildings as well. In Pescara del Tronto, a couple of firefighters have managed to recover a dog buried deep under a collapsed building. Digging for more than half an hour, the firefighters were finally able to get close enough to give the dog some water. Eventually, they were able to get it free as well.

Though the full extent of the damage is unknown as of writing authorities estimate that more than 1,000 people in the region have been displaced by the earthquake.

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