Rome - Rescue teams in Italy's central Abruzzo region continued to sift through the rubble Saturday, six days after an earthquake that left at least 290 dead. Volunteer rescue workers using a special microphone had on Friday night scoured the rubble of a house in the city of L'Aquila, where noises had been heard. There was however little hope of anyone being found alive, according to Italian media reports.

The quake that registered some 6.2 on the Richter scale struck on Monday, destroying scores of buildings in L'Aquila and other nearby towns in the Abruzzo region.

A state funeral for many of the victims of the deadliest quake to hit Italy in almost three decades took place on Friday.

Efforts to find survivors were due to continue through Sunday. (dpa)