The above footage comes from inside the hotel that was hit by an earthquake triggered avalanche in the Italian Alps leaving 30 people missing. Christopher Livesay from NPR Rome reports:
“The wall of snow blasted the Hotel Rigopiano ski resort as roughly 30 guests and employees slept. The civil protection agency told Italian news agency ANSA that there were ‘many dead’ beneath the snow and rubble.”
Narrow icy roads and poor weather (over 3 feet of snow in recent days) are hampering rescue efforts. Â The first rescuers to reach the hotel traveled on skis followed by teams on helicopters.
Italian media reports that guests at the Hotel Rigopiano managed to send text messages after the avalanche trapped them inside the hotel. Local media has reported one of the messages as:
“Help, we’re dying of cold.”
Italian Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni is urging rescuers to “multiply their efforts” and work to reach trapped people. This story is developing, we will update as the news comes.
Our thoughts and prayers are going towards the people trapped and the rescuers.