YEREVAN, AUGUST 27, ARMENPRESS. A day of national mourning has begun in Italy for the almost 300 people who died when a powerful earthquake hit mountainous central regions, “Armenpress” reports, citing BBC.

Prime Minister Matteo Renzi is due to attend state funerals in the regional capital, Ascoli Piceno, for victims from the town of Arquata.

President Sergio Mattarella visited Amatrice, the town with the most casualties, on Saturday morning.

The death toll rose to 284 as more bodies were found overnight.

The authorities say they will continue to search until they are certain everyone is accounted for.

Most victims were Italian, but several foreigners were among those killed.

Rescue efforts have been hampered by hundreds of aftershocks, with one severely damaging a key bridge into Amatrice.

More aftershocks were registered in the early hours of Saturday, one with a magnitude of four.

The ground beneath Accumoli, another severely affected village, sank 20cm (8in) as a result of the earthquake, satellite images obtained by Italy's scientific authorities show.