Abruzzo Alpine rescuer Antonio
Crocetta told ANSA on Thursday that "there are many dead" after
an avalanche hit the Hotel Rigopiano, a mountain hotel in the
region.
The avalanche followed a series of strong earthquakes in
central Italy on Wednesday.
Rescuers on Thursday pulled out the first victim from the
snow and rubble and around 30 people are missing.
"We are calling out but no one is answering," rescuers said.
The scene was described as "a tragic mix between an
earthquake and an avalanche".
The rescuers said that they were continuing to dig but added
"it's extremely difficult".
Crocetta and others had to use skis to get to the hotel
because of the heavy snow that has hit Italy.
Alpine rescue personnel reported that the avalanche probably
took place because of Wednesday's earthquakes.
Therefore, the hotel staff and guests have probably been
under the snow and rubble for almost 24 hours.
"The avalanche is huge" said rescuers.
Rescue vehicles, including ambulances, have been blocked by
snow about two metres high some nine kilometres from the Hotel
Rigopiano, sources said Thursday.
Firefighters are reaching the scene with a helicopter and a
track vehicle that can carry up to eight people.
The first people to reach the hotel were personnel from the
Alpine Rescue who got there with skis.
The Hotel Rigopiano is located in Abruzzo's Gran Sasso
National Park.
The mountainous region of central Italy has been struck by a
series of quakes since August that destroyed historic centers in
dozens of towns and hamlets. A deadly quake in August killed
nearly 300, while no one died in the strong aftershocks in
October largely because population centers had already been
evacuated. In the meantime, the entire region has been hit by
cold weather and buffeted by snowstorms, piling more suffering
on to the hard-hit population. People left homeless by the
earlier quakes had been moved to hotels in the region, but it
wasn't immediately clear who was staying at Hotel Rigopiano,
which is located in the Gran Sasso National Park.
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