Up to 30 people are missing, with many feared dead, after an avalanche struck a ski resort in central Italy Wednesday evening. The avalanche pushed the Rigopiano hotel 30 feet from its foundation and buried it in snow, causing the roof to collapse under its weight. Rescue workers were forced to use skis to reach the hotel in the country's mountainous Abruzzo region, as the surrounding roads were blocked by mounds of snow.
Initial estimates had 20-30 people staying at the resort when the avalanche hit, and at least one body has been retrieved from the scene, the Guardian reported. Authorities have said that at least two children were staying at the resort. It is not yet clear if anyone has been rescued from the building, but several reports say that at least two men escaped the snowslide.
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