Arab League Secretary General Ahmed Abul Gheit offered condolences to Italy over the victims of the devastating earthquake that hit the European state on Wednesday.

Abul Gheit sent a cable of condolences to Italian Foreign Minister Paolo Gentiloni, the AL chief's spokesman Mohamed Afifi said in a statement on Thursday.

Abul Gheit expressed solidarity with Italy in such hard times.

The death toll from the devastating earthquake in central Italy rose to at least 247 people early on Thursday after rescue teams worked through the night to try to find survivors under the rubble of flattened towns.

The 6.2 magnitude quake struck a cluster of mountain communities 140 km (85 miles) east of Rome early on Wednesday as people slept, destroying hundreds of homes.

Source: MENA