Miracle after miracle! Rescuers pulling survivors from rubble of Italian quake

Pope Francis calls for Rosary.

Rescuers are racing against time as they dig through the rubble, searching for survivors of a quake that struck central Italy on Wednesday morning. The 6.2 temblor leveled several villages, particularly medieval neighborhoods with stone construction. The death toll continues to rise.

span style="color: #0d0d0d; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, " times="" new="" roman",="" serif;="" font-size:="" 19.2px;="" font-style:="" normal;="" font-variant-ligatures:="" font-variant-caps:="" font-weight:="" letter-spacing:="" -0.7px;="" line-height:="" 28.8px;="" orphans:="" 2;="" text-align:="" start;="" text-indent:="" 0px;="" text-transform:="" none;="" white-space:="" widows:="" word-spacing:="" -webkit-text-stroke-width:="" display:="" inline="" !important;="" float:="" background-color:="" #f4f4f4;"="">LOS ANGELES, CA (California Network) - At least 247 people have been confirmed dead from a 6.2 magnitude quake that shook central Italy on Wednesday morning. Rescuers are combing through rubble and debris hoping to find survivors.

The quake, which struck at 3:32 a.m., flattened homes while most people were sleeping. Many of the collapsed buildings are ancient, some dating back hundreds of years.

The heavy debris, narrow roads, blocked by rubble have slowed rescue operations. Landslides have blocked highways. Rescuers haven't been able to move the heavy debris without equipment. That equipment has only just arrived within the past few hours to begin aiding hand operations.

The scene has been described as something from "Dante's Inferno." The quake flattened two villages and two more sustained heavy damage.

Despite the challenges the rescuers face, they continue to find survivors. Rescuers pulled one 10-year-old girl out of the rubble alive after being buried for 17 hours. Several onlookers cried and clapped as rescuers carried her away to safety.

Every survivor is a miracle. Miracle after miracle is taking place, but time is short.

Pope Francis has requested all Catholic pray the Sorrowful Mysteries of the Rosary.

The quake was felt as far away as Naples and Switzerland and structural engineers have surveyed sites such as the Colosseum in Rome to ensure the integrity of the famous ruins.