AMATRICE, Italy — The chaos came in the middle of the night. People were screaming and dying in the darkness across Amatrice, a summer getaway in central Italy famous as the birthplace of a pasta dish made with tomatoes and pork cheeks.

It was 3:36 a.m. when the 6.2 magnitude earthquake hit, followed by a succession of strong aftershocks — including one nearly as strong an hour later — that flattened houses and buried residents in the rubble.

Amatrice was the worst hit by the quake, which also damaged surrounding towns. As of Thursday morning, the deaths totaled 241, officials said.

Image: An overhead view of Amatrice after a powerful earthquake in central Italy on Aug. 24, 2016 | Image Credit: Gregorio Borgia/AP