L'Aquila, Italy  - Aftershocks as strong as magnitude 4.8 on the Richter scale continued to rock central Italy overnight Monday, the ANSA news agency reported.

Civil defense officials said it was the strongest since the major earthquake before dawn Monday, which struck the ancient town of L'Aquila and the surrounding mountains, about 100 kilometres north- east of Rome. That quake has been estimated at a magnitude of 6.2, and the death toll climbed late Monday to more than 150.

Another aftershock reached a magnitude of 3.6.

There were no immediate reports of new damage. (dpa)