Landslide On Ischia In Italy Leaves 1 Dead And Up To 12 Missing

(CTN NEWS) – On Ischia, a tourist destination in southern Italy, a large landslide caused by heavy rain early on Saturday morning demolished houses and carried parked cars into the water, leaving at least one person dead and up to 12 people missing.

Claudio Palomba, the prefect of Naples, announced at a press conference that a woman’s body had been extracted from the muck.

Rescuers were cautiously digging through six to seven metres of mud and debris with mini bulldozers as rain continued to fall in their hunt for potential victims.

According to Infrastructure Minister Matteo Salvini, a landslide earlier in the day killed eight people.

Sniffer dog teams who arrived by ferry to aid with the search operations joined the reinforcements.

At the port of Casamicciola, on the north end of the island off the coast of Naples, the power of the mud sliding down the mountainside just before daybreak was strong enough to send cars and buses down beaches and into the water.

According to officials, the island experienced the highest six-hour downpour in 20 years, with 126 millimetres of rain.

Dozens Stranded, No Power Or Water

Mayors on the island pleaded with citizens to stay inside since the streets were impassable. At least 100 individuals were said to be without access to water or electricity, and about 70 were staying in a community gym.

Early on, the death toll was unclear.

The interior minister then stated that no deaths were confirmed but that 10 and 12 individuals were still missing after vice-premier Matteo Salvini initially stated that eight people were proven deceased.

Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi, speaking to state television from an emergency command centre in Rome, said, “The situation is very delicate and quite serious since possibly some of those victims are under the mud.”

According to the ANSA news agency, at least ten buildings have collapsed. According to the Naples prefect, one family with a newborn that had been reported missing had been found and was receiving medical attention.

Small bulldozers were seen clearing roads on the island in the video, while locals attempted to remove mud from their homes using hoses.

One entrepreneur, Benjamin Iacono, told Sky TG24 that his merchandise was destroyed as muck engulfed three of his neighbouring stores, which he owns.

He put the cost of repairs between $100,000 and $150,000 ($104,000 to $156,000 US).

Strong winds initially made it difficult for boats and helicopters to reach the island, which hindered firefighters and Coast Guard personnel from performing search and rescue operations.

The crowded mountainous island is a well-liked vacation spot because of its beaches and spas.

Two people perished in a magnitude-4.0 earthquake that struck the island in 2017 and significantly damaged the settlements of Casamicciola and neighbouring Lacco Ameno.

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