More than a thousand people were evacuated from Niscemi, Sicily, after a four-kilometre landslide left homes dangerously close to the cliff. The fall of a vertical section of the ravine also caused the collapse of an abandoned building and left a car with its tires suspended, about to fall down the cliff.
Despite the danger, no deaths or injuries were reported, but the situation continues to worsen due to the persistent rain that has soaked the region in recent days. Italian authorities work in coordination with the Police, firefighters and civil protection, while all classes have been temporarily cancelled.
Niscemi, with around 27 thousand inhabitants, is 28 kilometers from Gela, in the south of Sicily. Storm Harry, which hit the island’s coast last week, had already caused damage to roads and homes. The president of the region, Renato Schifani, estimated the losses at more than 1.5 billion euros, and the Italian Government declared a state of emergency in the regions of Sicily, Sardinia and Calabria, with 100 million euros allocated to urgent interventions.
