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LANDSLIDE

Ischia to evacuate 1,000 people over fears of further landslides

At least 1,100 people were set to be evacuated from the southern Italian island of Ischia on Friday ahead of more bad weather, after a landslide on Saturday left 11 dead and one missing.

Published: 2 December 2022 13:14 CET
Ischia to evacuate 1,000 people over fears of further landslides
Rain was expected to cause further damage on Friday in Ischia, southern Italy, as the clean-up and rescue effort continued almost a week after a deadly landslide. Photo by ELIANO IMPERATO / AFP

The island of Ischia was preparing to evacuate at least 1,100 people from their homes in and around Casamicciola, the town hit by a deadly landslide on Saturday, authorities in the Campania region said on Friday following a weather alert.

Rescuers on Ischia, in the Bay of Naples, are still searching for one person missing feared dead after heavy rains triggered a landslide on the island on Saturday.

The death toll from the landslide rose to 11 on Friday after three more bodies were found in the mud.

The risk of further landslides in the area is thought to be high later on Friday, as the Civil Protection Department issued an alert for Ischia and other parts of Campania warning that heavy rain is expected to hit the area from 4pm.

Up to 1,300 people could be evacuated in total with at least 600 buildings thought to be at risk in the affected area, according to Italian news agency Ansa.

READ ALSO: Italy declares state of emergency after deadly Ischia landslide

Officials stressed that evacuation would not be forced, but that it was necessary for the safety of residents.

A muddy street following heavy rains that caused a landslide in Casamicciola on Ischia on November 26th, 2022: Photo: Eliano IMPERATO/AFP

“The evacuation is a precaution,” Casamicciola councillor Simonetta Calcaterra told a press conference on Friday morning.

“There shouldn’t be violent rain, but there is a lot of mud in the area already affected by the landslide and it can become dangerous even with a little water.”

Evacuees will be housed in hotels and sports facilities in other parts of Ischia, according to reports.

Geologists warned following Saturday’s disaster that there were “high risks” of further landslides on parts of Ischia.

Experts said the landslide was caused by a fatal mix of overdevelopment, deforestation, and a lack of mitigation strategies.

On Monday, the island’s former mayor said he had tried to raise the alarm four days earlier and had asked for at-risk areas to be evacuated, but claimed his warnings were ignored.

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WEATHER

Five missing as ‘tsunami of mud’ floods Italian town

Five people are reported missing in Bardonecchia, in the north-western region of Piedmont, where a sudden flood caused by a landslide submerged the town in mud.

Published: 14 August 2023 11:43 CEST
Five missing as 'tsunami of mud' floods Italian town

The search for the five missing people resumed at 7am Monday in Bardonecchia, in the Val di Susa region, a few kilometres from the French border.

Around 50 of the fire brigade, including divers, are searching the section of the river that flooded on Sunday evening, the Vigili del Fuoco confirmed.

Authorities posted that they were continuing to look for missing people and to remove debris from the roads.

Rescue teams had already saved six people, who were stuck in a camper van, dragged downstream by the flow of water, mud and rubbish, rescue teams stated on Monday morning.

The Rio Merdovine broke its banks Sunday evening following a landslide at altitude, completely covering cars and submerging streets in wreckage, according to Italian media reports and video footage from social media.

In videos posted online, some people can be seen fleeing while a wave of mud gushes in behind them, pushing over buildings and trees. One person has been injured.

“Run away, go away,” some residents said to those who were in the area, reported the Italian newspaper Il Messaggero.

In other videos and photos, the flood of the Frejus basin is seen dragging away cars in what’s been described as a ‘tsunami of mud’ in Italian media reports.

The mudslide overwhelmed everything in its path, sweeping away traffic signs, cars and even bus shelters.

About 120 people spent the night as evacuees, unable to return to their homes sunk in mud.

The Red Cross set up temporary accommodation for those affected inside the town’s sports hall.

Meanwhile, the local police station was found to be unfit for use and with serious damage to the ground floor.

READ ALSO: Scientists urge Italy’s media to improve climate change reporting

Many bridges are still not passable, while access to the built-up area of Bardonecchia remains impossible, except for rescue vehicles.

One of the town’s bridges was swept away by the sudden flood, now buried in mud and detritus, while another has lost its supporting foundations.

The landslide in Val di Susa has also  “temporarily closed” State Road 335 in both directions in Bardonecchia, Italian road maintenance firm Anas stated.

“Anas teams and the police have intervened on-site to manage the road system, to allow normal traffic to be restored as quickly as possible,” it added.

The town’s authorities reported on Facebook the possibility of water, electricity and gas supply disruptions in the town “following the flooding of the Frejus river”.

“Rescue teams and technicians have been working since yesterday evening to try to restore normal conditions as soon as possible. The gas supply has been interrupted to avoid potentially dangerous explosions, pending the identification and resolution of the damage to the pipelines,” they added.

The disaster follows a summer of extreme weather events in Italy, with seven killed in storms in the north of Italy last month.

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