Ottawa residents with ties to Italy's devastated Abruzzo region have begun to organize local relief efforts after Monday's massive earthquake that has killed 207 people.

Casa Abruzzo, the largest social club for the city's estimated 8,000 residents with Abruzzese heritage, plans to open a bank trust fund, said spokesman Franco Ricci.

A number of Italian-Canadian organizations met Monday to discuss their response, he added.

Francesco Di Candia of CHIN Radio 97.9 FM has been updating local listeners eager for news about loved ones in Abruzzo. A Rome correspondent has been filing updates every few hours.

"Because the phone lines in most of the area are not working, they're relying on the media to get information on a particular village or city," Di Candia said.

The Canadian Red Cross is waiting for word from Italian authorities to begin relief efforts. But potential donors can call 1-800-418-1111 or visit the group's website to join a waiting list.

Word of mouth across Ottawa's Italian community is reporting that family and friends of those living here are safe.

For now, donations can be sent to:

Casa Abruzzo Earthquake Relief Fund Ottawa

705 Gladstone Ave.

Ottawa, ON K14 6X2

TEL: (613) 228-8967 or (613) 797-6720

Meanwhile. a strong aftershock struck central Italy Tuesday as workers continued to search for survivors.

The 4.9-magnitude aftershock hit at 11:26 a.m. local time as rescue crews searched for university students in the rubble of a collapsed dormitory in L'Aquila, about 110 kilometres northeast of Rome.

The aftershock prompted the workers to run out frantically from the disaster site.

Two buildings in Pettino, a suburb of L'Aquila, collapsed following the aftershock, according to the news agency ANSA. No one was believed to be inside either building.

The initial 6.3-magnitude earthquake struck early Monday, its epicentre in L'Aquila, as many residents were sleeping.

On Tuesday, Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi said 207 people died in the quake and 1,000 were injured. He said at least 100 of injured were in serious condition.

Berlusconi also said 15 people were still missing.

The prime minister said the rescue efforts would continue for another 48 hours, however, he said trapped people had diminishing chances of survival.

CTV's London Bureau Chief Tom Kennedy, reporting Tuesday from L'Aquila, said crews have been working non-stop since the earthquake struck in very dangerous conditions.

"It's quite possible that large chunks of rubble could fall on the people who are trying to dig away to find anymore bodies," Kennedy said.

He said there have been multiple aftershocks Tuesday.

"I'm at the site of a four-storey building that is down but just moments ago they stopped the work and moved away from the building because there's just been a warning there may be another significant aftershock," Kennedy said.

L'Aquila Mayor Massimo Cialente said every single structure in the city will have to be inspected before people are allowed to move back in.

Roughly 70,000 people live in the historic city, located in a valley surrounded by the Apennine mountains.

Rescue crews are also working in dozens of towns in the surrounding areas.

Tens of thousands have also been left homeless after their homes were reduced to rubble.

With a report from CTV Ottawa's John Hua and files from The Associated Press