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Emergency services are at the scene of the devastating avalanche in Italy, but their efforts have been hampered by the snow. Teams of rescue workers, dogs and helicopters have been at the scene this morning to locate the missing people. There were at least 80 aftershocks over night, including two of 3.5 magnitude. Fabrizio Curcio, Head of Civil Protection, has said: "There are thousands of workers in difficult conditions, risking their lives to try to bring relief and assistance to citizens. "The situation is critical, with two events - bad weather and earthquake - but I say again: we have not lost a minute and I assure you that the whole civil protection system will continue to work and use all necessary resources.”

Italy avalanche: Devastating pictures after deadly avalanche Thu, January 19, 2017 A devastating avalanche has hit a hotel in Italy, leaving up to 30 missing. Play slideshow PA 1 of 7 An avalanche buried the Hotel Rigopiano in Abruzzo.

Rescuers have recovered the body of a victim of the avalanche from the hotel as other workers say no-one has been answering their calls. Dogs have not been able to detect any more life at the scene. Rescuers on skis reached the hotel at 4am local time (3.00am GMT) after their rescue mission suffered severe delays because the conditions. The prefect of Pescara, Francesco Provolo, said: “This is one of the most important hotels in the area. They are prepared for emergencies.” Two survivors have been rescued as workers search for at least three people still missing. The rescued pair have been named as Giampiero Parete and Fabio Salzetta by Italian media. they sent a WhatsApp message to rescuers which read: "Help help we are dying of cold". Survivor, Giampiero Parete, said: “I lost everything. My wife and my two kids Ludovica, six, and Gianfilippo, eight, are inside." Mr Parete survived because he went outside to look for something inside his car. He was rescued by mountain rescue forces that brought him to the valley, he was in a state of hypothermia.

YOUTUBE/ TWITTER An avalanche has hit Hotel Rigopiano in Italy

TWITTER A rescue helicopter is helping people affected by the avalanche

Two children were among the 20 guests staying at Hotel Rigopiano in Pescara, a province in the Abruzzo region, when the avalanche hit. While some hotel guests were able to get away before the avalanche struck, it is unknown how many were in the building at the time of the incident. The hotel, on the slope of Gran Sasso - popular with tourists - had earlier used its Facebook page to warn guests the phone network was down due to bad weather. Mayor of Pescara Antonio Di Marco described the avalanche as a “terrible tragedy” and said the hotel is buried in snow. Giorgio Liberace tweeted a picture showing the shocking difference between the hotel before the avalanche and after saying: "Words are not enough to describe it.”

TWITTER*FACEBOOK The picture shows the shocking before and after of the hotel

YOUTUBE A hotel chef raised the alarm with the local Red Cross

Unfortunately this terrible tragedy has occurred Mayor Antonio Di Marco

An avalanche warning was triggered earlier yesterday after a series of earthquakes rocked central Italy. One at 5.4 magnitude and another a 5.7 magnitude were felt in Rome, shutting down the capital's Metro system. Mr Di Marco said: "There seem to be victims, but it all needs to be confirmed. There were 20 guests in the hotel." In a Facebook post, which has since been deleted, Mr Di Marco said: "Unfortunately this terrible tragedy has occurred. It seems the people are dead, but this has yet to be confirmed." Italian news agency ANSA said at least three people are believed to be missing with other local media saying as many as 30 guests and staff are unaccounted for. The chef from the four-star spa resort raised the alarm with Pescara Red Cross who have rushed to the scene.

YOUTUBE Hotel and guests are feared missing in the avalanche

YOUTUBE Rescuers are trying to reach people trapped in the snow

Última hora #Italia: alud sepulta hotel #Rigopiano al pie #GranSasso. En su interior +20 personas. Se teme víctimas pic.twitter.com/YdijfqhUZW — InfoEmergencias (@InfoEmerg) January 18, 2017

It comes hours after several strong earthquakes and aftershocks struck central Italy, which has been hit by heavy snowfall in the last week. Four quakes of magnitude 5.2 and higher struck near the hill town of Amatrice, some 60 miles northeast of Rome, in the space of four hours. Much of the area had already been abandoned after last year's earthquakes.

TWITTER The four star Hotel Rigopiano was hit by the avalanche on the slopes of Gran Sasso

TWITTER The Abruzzo region has been hit with heavy snowfall in recent days

GOOGLE MAPS The avalanche hit the hotel on the slopes of Gran Sasso in central Italy