A rescuer stands in front of the Rigopiano Hotel, which was hit by an avalanche sometime Wednesday, in Farindola, Italy, early Thursday. Rescue workers were met with an eerie silence Thursday when they reached the four-star spa hotel.
An aerial view of the Rigopiano Hotel in Farindola, Italy, early Thursday. The 4-star hotel is described as a large chalet-style building with panoramic view of the surrounding mountains.
Italian firefighters search for survivors after an avalanche buried a hotel near Farindola, central Italy, Thursday.
Emergency personnel, including firefighters and Finance Ministry Police, make their way to the hotel on a freshly plowed road in Farindola, Italy, early Thursday.
Rescuers on skis make their way to the hotel hit by an avalanche in Farindola, Italy, early Thursday.
This photo taken from a video released by rescuers shows a window of the hotel. The earthquake-prone region was hit by at least three tremors around 5.7 magnitude on Wednesday, prompting the avalanche.
A firefighters' helicopter supports rescue operations in the central region of Abruzzo, Italy, where a three-story hotel was hit by an avalanche. "We're dropping our rescue units down by helicopter and they are starting to dig," said Luca Cari, spokesman for the national fire brigades, told Reuters news agency.
This photo taken from a video shows show piles of snow and rubble in a hallway of the Hotel Rigopiano.
A photo taken from a video shows a rescuer entering the Hotel Rigopiano.
Rescuers head toward the Hotel Rigopiano Thursday morning in this aerial picture provided by Italian firefighters.
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