×
 
 
18/02/2026 04:04:00

Meloni returns to Niscemi, areas of Sicily hit by Cyclone Harry

Premier Giorgia Meloni on Monday returned to Niscemi, the Sicilian town hit by a dramatic landslide last month, and other parts of the region hit by Cyclone Harry, which also wreaked havoc in Calabria and Sardinia, sources said on Monday.
    Meloni, who also visited the area on January 28, conducted a reconnaissance tour with Civil Protection Chief Fabio Ciciliano, the sources said.
    The landslide destroyed some homes and left others perilously perched on the precipice of a cliff, meaning over 1,500 people had to be evacuated.
    The landslide continued after the initial earthfall and Ciciliano reported that the hill Niscemi lies on is slowly sliding towards the plain where the city of Gela is.
    It will not be possible for the owners to ever return to the homes that are in the most dangerous areas.
    A stone cross that had been on the edge for weeks for weeks and had come to symbolize hope and fortitude before falling off the cliff was recovered by police and firefighters on Sunday.
    The landslide came after days of the violent storms brought last week by Cyclone Harry, which caused over two billion euros of damage in Sicily alone