No signs of life at Italian hotel buried by avalanche

Italian search and rescue crews have recovered three bodies from a luxury hotel buried by an avalanche Wednesday afternoon. Four earthquakes hit the country’s central region after a strong winter storm blanketed the area with up to 3 feet of heavy snow and ice. Officials believe at least 22 people and as many as 35, including children, could still be buried in the building. Guests at the four-star Hotel Rigopiano had reportedly gathered in the downstairs lobby following the first tremor to await evacuation orders. Two people standing outside the building survived the avalanche and called for help, but it took first responders hours to reach the remote site, with the first teams finally arriving on skis early Thursday morning. Rescuers found the hotel almost completely destroyed and have not seen any signs of life so far. The threat of more avalanches is hampering search efforts.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.