In Italy, an avalanche has buried a four-star spa hotel in the mountainous central region of Abruzzo, leaving at least 30 people missing. The Italian authorities reported this today. <br/><br/>The hotel is about 45 kilometers from the coastal city of Pescara. Earthquakes hit the region yesterday, including one with a 5.7 magnitude. But it wasn't immediately clear if the temblors triggered the avalanche.<br/><br/>Italian news reports say that some guests at the hotel had sent text messages to emergency numbers informing they were trapped inside.<br/><br/>In the meantime, the entire region has been hit by cold weather and buffeted by snowstorms, piling more suffering on to the hard-hit population.