Niscemi, a hilltop town in Sicily with a population of approximately 25,000, is grappling with a severe crisis following a powerful storm that triggered significant landslides. Within hours the flare-up turned into a full-blown emergency, leading county officials to order the evacuation of some 1,500 residents. Many evacuees are now living with family members. Many others have sought shelter the last two nights in a nearby sports complex.
Even the mayor of Niscemi, Massimiliano Conti, recognized the town’s precarious position and sounded alarm bells. “The situation is dire, especially since the creaking continues, and the rain isn’t helping either the relief operations or the technical surveys,” he stated. The deep-seated landslide had begun to move noticeably, in rapid fashion, since last Sunday. By Tuesday morning, it had formed a front of nearly four kilometers in length and shed an additional 10 meters.
Salvatore Cocina, the head of civil protection authority in Sicily, made a chilling threat. This means all houses that are within a 50-70 meter perimeter from the landslide are at an immediate danger of going down. This sobering projection emphasizes the need for more evacuations, safety measures, and urgent action.
As authorities work to manage the crisis, they have closed the road connecting Niscemi with the coastal city of Gela, effectively isolating the town. Schools across all of Sicily stayed closed, even in Niscemi, to protect the safety of students during this ongoing natural disaster.
Conti brought home to the audience his community’s fear and uncertainty about what the future holds. I know it’s hard to believe, but we’re afraid to death,” he said. He urged people not to underestimate the gravity of the situation: “I don’t want anyone to take this event lightly.”
Unfortunately, the constant rains have continued to challenge the humanitarian response, obstructing both search and rescue efforts and filled with technical assessments of landslide damage.
“And from aerial images, it was shocking to see our Niscemi collapsing.” – Massimiliano Conti