Young girl pulled from Italy earthquake rubble after spending 17 hours buried alive

Amazing footage has emerged of a 10-year-old girl being pulled alive from the rubble of an earthquake that hit Italy yesterday. 

A crowd watch on and shouted “she’s alive” as the girl was pulled from the ruins in the town of Pescara del Tronto in central Italy, the New York Daily News reports.

READ MORE: 'Even more dreadful than we feared': At least 159 killed in Italy earthquake

She had spent 17 hours buried under broken bricks and glass, and was pulled free about 8.30pm local time.

Chief firefighter Danilo Dionesei confirmed she was taken to a nearby hospital, but did not know the details of her condition.  

The 6.2-magnitude quake hit three towns in central Italy. The death toll sits at 159, but is expected to rise. 

Italy’s Prime Minister Matteo Renzi said the disaster had caused "a pain without limits".

"Today is the time for tears and emotion," he said.