A series of aftershocks disrupted rescuers in central Italy early on Thursday as they picked through rubble for a third night in their search for survivors of Monday's earthquake that killed 272 people.

One tremor measuring 5.2 on the Richter scale hit at 2:53 a.m. (0053 GMT) according to the U.S. Geological Survey, shaking the medieval mountain city of L'Aquila and nearby villages. It caused damage to buildings but there were no immediate reports of any more victims although it was felt in Rome, some 100 km to the west.

The aftershocks terrified many of the survivors -- 17,000 of whom stayed in tent villages for another cold night after being made homeless. Rescuers acknowledge hope of finding anyone alive under the devastated city are fading with every hour.

"This city has been annihilated and I don't think we'll ever go back to that house, our house. It's full of ghosts and fear," said Claudio Gaudieri, 53, sitting in a tent camp in L'Aquila.

His wife sobbed on the phone, and Guadieri held her hand.

"We lost everything," he said.

The death toll climbed to 272 after rescuers pulled more bodies from the collapsed buildings. Relatives began holding private funerals for the dead.

A mass state funeral and a national day of mourning are expected to be held on Friday.

At least 16 children, including a five-month-old baby, were killed by Monday's 5.8 to 6.3 magnitude earthquake.

Rescue workers haven't found any survivors in at least 24 hours. The last person rescued, a 20-year-old woman, was pulled out the rubble late on Tuesday.

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