L'AQUILA, Italy: Rescuers pulled more corpses yesterday from the rubble of Italy's worst earthquake in three decades, braving strong aftershocks in the dimming hope of finding survivors.

The death toll from Monday's quake in the central region of Abruzzo climbed to 279 after rescuers recovered the latest bodies, including two students buried beneath a dormitory hall.

Tremors shook the medieval mountain city of L'Aquila and nearby villages throughout the morning, further damaging buildings and prompting authorities to cordon off the city center, which bore the brunt of the 6.3 magnitude quake.