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Active Landslide Forces 1,500 to Evacuate in Sicilian Town as Italy Declares Emergency

Civil protection officials warn the slope is still moving, requiring permanent relocations.

Overview

  • Authorities widened the exclusion zone in Niscemi after continued collapses along a roughly 4 km cliff, with drops reported up to about 45 metres.
  • No injuries or deaths have been reported, which officials attribute to early warnings and swift evacuations.
  • The Italian government approved a 12‑month state of emergency for Sicily, Sardinia and Calabria with an initial €100 million for immediate needs.
  • Regional assessments put public infrastructure losses in Sicily at about €740 million, with overall damage across affected areas expected to exceed €1 billion.
  • Civil protection chief Fabio Ciciliano said homes on the edge are uninhabitable and residents from affected areas will be permanently relocated once ground movement subsides.