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| Italy earthquakes: Many feared dead in hotel buried by avalanche | Italy earthquakes: Many feared dead in hotel buried by avalanche |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Thirty people are missing after an avalanche buried a small hotel in the mountains of central Italy after a series of earthquakes, authorities say. | Thirty people are missing after an avalanche buried a small hotel in the mountains of central Italy after a series of earthquakes, authorities say. |
| The avalanche covered the three-storey hotel in Abruzzo, an earthquake-hit zone of central Italy, on Wednesday evening. | The avalanche covered the three-storey hotel in Abruzzo, an earthquake-hit zone of central Italy, on Wednesday evening. |
| The civil protection agency said it is working to get emergency vehicles to the Hotel Rigopiano, in the town of Farindola, through roads covered in snow, joining initial rescue efforts overnight by alpine rescue squads. | The civil protection agency said it is working to get emergency vehicles to the Hotel Rigopiano, in the town of Farindola, through roads covered in snow, joining initial rescue efforts overnight by alpine rescue squads. |
| Italian news agency Ansa quoted the head of a mountain rescue squad as saying "there are many dead." | Italian news agency Ansa quoted the head of a mountain rescue squad as saying "there are many dead." |
| Two men who were outside the building at the time of the disaster and raised the alarm. | |
| "I am alive because I went to get something from my car," one of the two, Giampiero Parete, told medical staff, according to la Repubblica website. | |
| He told doctors his wife and two children were buried in the avalanche. | |
| Mountain rescue teams reached the hotel by skis around 4am (3am GMT), SKY TG24 reported. | Mountain rescue teams reached the hotel by skis around 4am (3am GMT), SKY TG24 reported. |
| "Around 30 people are unaccounted for, between guests and workers at the Hotel Rigopiano in Farindola," said Fabrizio Curcio, head of Italy's civil protection department. | "Around 30 people are unaccounted for, between guests and workers at the Hotel Rigopiano in Farindola," said Fabrizio Curcio, head of Italy's civil protection department. |
| "We're dropping our rescue units down by helicopter and they are starting to dig," said Luca Cari, a spokesman for the national fire brigades. | "We're dropping our rescue units down by helicopter and they are starting to dig," said Luca Cari, a spokesman for the national fire brigades. |
| Video footage showed rescuers with shovels digging through a wall of snow, and at least one man being led through the cleared path. | Video footage showed rescuers with shovels digging through a wall of snow, and at least one man being led through the cleared path. |
| An ambulance was blocked several kilometres from the hotel, Sky reported, adding that snowfall was so heavy snow plows have had trouble clearing the road to the hotel. | |
| The president of Pescara province wrote on Facebook that there were 20 guests at the hotel when it was covered by the avalanche, about 30 miles from the coastal city of Pescara. | The president of Pescara province wrote on Facebook that there were 20 guests at the hotel when it was covered by the avalanche, about 30 miles from the coastal city of Pescara. |
| A spate of strong earthquakes hit central Italy on Wednesday. | A spate of strong earthquakes hit central Italy on Wednesday. |
| Four magnitude 5.2 and higher quakes struck near the hill town of Amatrice, some 100 km (60 miles) northeast of Rome, in the space of four hours. Much of the area had already been abandoned after last year's earthquakes. | Four magnitude 5.2 and higher quakes struck near the hill town of Amatrice, some 100 km (60 miles) northeast of Rome, in the space of four hours. Much of the area had already been abandoned after last year's earthquakes. |
| A deadly 6.2 magnitude earthquake killed nearly 300 people in the country's central regions in August. | A deadly 6.2 magnitude earthquake killed nearly 300 people in the country's central regions in August. |
| That was followed by at least two more deadly earthquakes in Umbria and Marche in October, both measuring over six on the Richter scale. | That was followed by at least two more deadly earthquakes in Umbria and Marche in October, both measuring over six on the Richter scale. |
| Italy's Apennine mountains lie along an active fault line between the Adriatic and Eurasian plates, causing frequent seismic activity. | Italy's Apennine mountains lie along an active fault line between the Adriatic and Eurasian plates, causing frequent seismic activity. |
| Seismologists say previous quakes have stressed the Laga Fault, which is rupturing. | Seismologists say previous quakes have stressed the Laga Fault, which is rupturing. |