Several people are believed to be missing after an avalanche struck a hotel in Pescara, in the Abruzzo region in Italy, local media report.

The disaster happened at the base of the Gran Sasso mountain range near the Rigopiano di Farindola hotel.

Emergency services have been dispatched to the scene where up to 20 people have been staying in the hotel, according to Italian media reports. Rescuers believe three people are missing, according to the Italian news agency ANSA.

“There seem to be victims, but it all needs to be confirmed. There were 20 guests in the hotel,” according to provincial President Antonio Di Marco.

Rescue teams on site are trying to reach people on their mobile phones, but the phones are reportedly not being answered.

Emergency services were notified of the disaster by two visitors staying at the hotel. They said that about twenty guests were registered at the time of the incident, besides the employees who have been working at the hotel.

The Gran Sasso Resort Farindola (Pescara) is a situated  some 1,200 meters above sea level making rescue efforts difficult. Rescue teams could take up to three hours to get there as they need to cover roughly 50 km in treacherous weather conditions to get there.

(RT)