AMATRICE, Italy (AP) — The Latest on the earthquake in central Italy (all times local):

11:55 a.m.

Italy's civil protection agency says at least 37 people have died in the magnitude 6 quake that struck central Italy.

The agency, which is coordinating the rescue effort, gave the preliminary toll as rescue teams continued to claw through debris in hard-hit towns.

Previously, reports and officials had said at least 23 were dead.

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11:15 a.m.

Israel's leader says he has offered Italy rescue assistance following the magnitude 6 earthquake that shook the country.

A statement from the office of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday says he offered the help to his Italian counterpart Matteo Renzi. The statement says he sends his condolences to the people of Italy.

Italy and Israel are close allies. Israel often offers and sends rescue assistance to countries that have experienced temblors.

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11:05 a.m.

Italy's forestry police say they have extracted dozens of people alive from hard-hit Pescara del Tronto in Italy's Le Marche region, but rescue crews still haven't reached the nearby hamlet of Peracchia di Acqua Santa Terme.

The forestry police joined Italian carabinieri, firefighters, civil protection crews, Red Cross workers, army and Alpine troops in the rescue effort in towns hit by the magnitude 6 quake in central Italy. Pescara del Tronto was one of the hardest-hit towns, along with Accumoli and Amatrice.

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10:50 a.m.

Residents say another town in central Italy has been devastated by the 6 magnitude quake: Pescara del Tronto in the province of Ascoli Picenza, in eastern Le Marche region.

The ANSA news agency reported 10 dead there, but there was no official confirmation.

The main road into and out of the town was covered in debris, making rescue difficult; residents were digging their neighbors out by hand. Photos taken from the air by regional firefighters showed much of the tiny town essentially flattened

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10:40 a.m.

Pope Francis has skipped his catechism lesson during his Wednesday general audience and instead led pilgrims in praying the rosary for the victims of Italy's earthquake.

Holding a rosary in his right hand, Francis told the crowd that he was stunned by the devastation of the magnitude 6 temblor that struck central Italy early Wednesday. He said he wanted to express his pain and solidarity with the victims.

The crowd in St. Peter's Square recited the prayer along with him.

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7 a.m.

The ANSA news agency says two bodies have been pulled from the rubble of quake-hit Amatrice in central Italy after a strong quake levelled buildings as residents slept.

Many buildings in center of Amatrice were razed by the 6.1 magnitude quake, which struck at 3:36 a.m. Wednesday. As dawn broke, residents with shovels and emergency workers with bulldozers were beginning to try to reach people trapped under the debris and clear blocked roads.

The two bodies mark the first known victims of the quake, although the mayor of the other hard-hit town of Accumoli, Stefano Petrucci, says a family of four is buried without any signs of life.

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6:15 a.m.

The mayor of the quake-hit town of Accumoli says a family of four has been located under the debris of a collapsed building and but there are no signs of life.

Mayor Stefano Petrucci told state-run RaiNews24 that there was also another victim in the town, which is close to the epicenter of Italy's 6.1 magnitude quake.

Officials say Accumoli and Amatrice have been the hardest hit by the quake. Residents across a broad swath of central Italy felt the temblor, which struck at 3:36 a.m. and sent people running into the streets.

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5 a.m.

The mayor of the Umbrian town of Amatrice, hit hard by the 6.1 magnitude quake, says residents are buried under the debris of collapsed buildings and that "the town isn't here anymore."

Sergio Pirozzi told state-run RAI radio and Sky TG24 that he needs heavy equipment to clear rubble-clogged streets to get to the injured.

Asked if there were any dead he said: "Look there are houses that aren't here anymore. I hope we get some help."

The quake struck central Italy, near Rieti, shortly after 3:30 a.m. and was followed by several aftershocks.