A section of 4 km of hillside collapsed in the town of Niscemi, Sicily island, following the intense rains and winds from Cyclone Harry. The phenomenon left homes literally on the edge of a cliff and forced the evacuation of more than 1,500 residents.
Aerial images show buildings and vehicles destroyed after falling into the void. Although no fatalities were reported, the head of Civil Protection, Fabio Ciciliano, warned that the houses near the landslide are uninhabitable and that residents will be permanently relocated.
State of emergency in southern Italy
The government of Giorgia Meloni declared a state of emergency in Sicily, Sardinia, and Calabria, the three regions most affected by the storm. In Niscemi, a town of 25,000 inhabitants, the sudden evacuation generated anxiety and anger among residents, who recalled that previous landslides were not addressed.
Consequences of Cyclone Harry
The cyclone, which hit southern Italy in the last week of January 2026, left a trail of material destruction and extreme weather phenomena:
Impact on infrastructure and economy
- Million-dollar losses: damages estimated at 2 billion dollars in the south of the country.
- In Sicily, damages exceed 500 million euros.
- In Sardinia, damage to ports, roads, and coastal areas was reported.
Extreme weather phenomena
- Historic waves: waves between 8 and 16 meters flooded promenades and restaurants.
- Record rainfall: in Calabria, 570 mm of rain in 48 hours was recorded, an event described as “centennial.”
- Hurricane-force winds: gusts of up to 150 km/h battered various regions.
Impact on population and services
- Mass evacuations: hundreds of people displaced in Sicily, Calabria, and Sardinia.
- Transport and education: closure of schools, public spaces, and disruptions in the railway network and main roads.
- Shipwrecks: alarming estimates of up to 380 possible drownings in the Mediterranean during the cyclone’s passage.
Regional context: extreme rains in Asia
The phenomenon adds to a series of global climate disasters. In Indonesia, rescue teams are searching for hundreds of missing people after floods and landslides in Sumatra, where the death toll already exceeds 700.
In Southeast Asia, countries like Thailand, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Sri Lanka have suffered devastating rains that left more than 1,200 dead in January.
Cyclone Harry exposed the vulnerability of southern Italy to extreme weather phenomena, with significant human, economic, and environmental impacts.
The landslide in Niscemi became a symbol of the crisis, showing how entire communities can be left on the brink in a matter of hours. The emergency underscores the need for prevention plans, resilient infrastructure, and rapid responses in the face of increasingly unpredictable weather.
