Rescuers cheered by live quake victim

L'AQUILA, Italy, April 8 (UPI) -- Rescuers searching for earthquake victims in L'Aquila, Italy, were buoyed Wednesday by the discovery of a survivor the night before, officials said.

Searchers resumed efforts Wednesday heartened by the Tuesday evening rescue of 21-year-old Eleonora Calesini of Rimini, who was found alive after spending 42 hours trapped in the rubble of a building, protected by two pillars of reinforced concrete, The Times of London reported.

The woman asked rescuers, "Where are mamma and papa?" The workers, however, had to tell Calesini her parents' whereabouts were unknown, the newspaper said. She also reportedly asked for her best friend, who is feared dead.

Local reports indicated at least 250 bodies of earthquake victims were being kept in a makeshift mortuary at a nearby school.

Powerful aftershocks shook the area northeast of Rome Tuesday, one day after the quake, The Times said. The newspaper reported many of the victims were university students, including a young woman whose body was found by her stepfather.