ROME， Jan. 25 (Xinhua) -- At least 24 people died in an avalanche that crushed a ski resort in Italy's central Abruzzo region last week， Italian authorities confirmed on Wednesday.

The official death toll was updated by the Civil Protection Department.

"Among 24 victims recovered so far， there are 13 men and 11 women，" civil protection official Titti Postiglione told a press conference.

"Twelve of the victims are still to be identified. Our mission will continue until all people are recovered，" she added.

Overall， some 40 guests and employees were believed to be inside the facility when the huge snow-slide occurred， engulfing the hotel under meters of snow and mud， according to the local authorities.

Eleven people survived， including nine located alive under the ruins of the hotel. Four children were involved in the incident， and all of them were rescued.

At least five people remain missing.

Some 200 officers from several of Italy's emergency departments were at work at the site， according to Postiglione.

The avalanche hit the Rigopiano hotel， a luxury ski resort between the village of Farindola and the 2，912-meter Gran Sasso peak， in the late afternoon of Jan. 18.

Italian Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni said "every effort has been made" to save the lives of those involved in the disaster.

Addressing the parliament on the emergency in the morning， Gentiloni praised the work of the country's rescue services， and pledged a government's decree with emergency measures for next week.

Central Italy， and especially the Abruzzo region， was hit with four strong earthquakes last Wednesday， which added to severe weather conditions and heavy snowfall and made all rescue efforts much more difficult.

South Korean Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn will begin getting official briefings from aides of President Park Geun-hye on Monday Authentic Mikkel Boedker Jersey , having assumed presidential authority in a caretaker role following her impeachment by parliament last week.

Hwang has sought to calm anxiety over national security and to reassure financial markets while Park's presidency is held in limbo pending the outcome of a Constitutional Court review of her impeachment, which may take up to 180 days.

Until then, Park will remain in the presidential Blue House a few blocks north of the main government complex where Hwang's office is located.

Eight of the Constitutional Court's nine judges met on Monday to discuss how to proceed with the case but has not set dates for public hearings, its spokesman, Bae Bo-yoon, told a briefing. The ninth was away from the country on business.

At least six of the nine judges have to concur for the motion to be upheld. [nL4N1E21LQ]

The court will next week decide on the date for the two sides' lawyers to appear for a preliminary hearing, he said.

Park, whose father ruled the country for 18 years after seizing power in a 1961 coup, has been accused of colluding with a friend and a former aide, both of whom have been indicted, to pressure big businesses to donate to foundations set up to back her policy initiatives.

She has denied wrongdoing but apologised for carelessness in her ties with her friend, Choi Soon-sil.

Park has yet to announce her defence team, which is expected to be made up of at least four lawyers, including an attorney she had retained last month. [nL4N1E002S]

Park's term was set to end in February 2018. If the court upholds her impeachment, she will become the first elected South Korean leader to be ejected from office in disgrace.

If that were to happen, a new election would be held within 60 days to pick a successor who will serve a full five-year term.

Hwang will get briefings from senior presidential secretaries on foreign policy, judicial, personnel and economic affairs on Monday and Tuesday, the Blue House said, giving no further details.

Hwang has chaired a National Security Council meeting, met the cabinet twice and visited the military headquarters since assuming presidential powers late on Friday.

On Sunday, state prosecutors charged two more former senior officials as part of their investigation of a corruption scandal that has led to Park's impeachment and the indictment of former aides and a friend, Choi Soon-sil.

Park herself has immunity from indictment while she is in office bu

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