Video: Watson/Lucas Zollinger
January 29, 2026, 2:50 p.mJanuary 29, 2026, 3:12 p.m
The situation in the town of Niscemi, which is threatened by a massive landslide in the southwest of the Italian Mediterranean island of Sicily, continues to deteriorate.
A safety zone designated because of the risk of further demolitions is expanding further into the center of the small town because of the still advancing landslide, said the head of the Italian Civil Protection, Fabio Ciciliano, on television. The situation on site is critical.
All houses within a distance of 150 meters from the edge of the demolition were evacuated. The area has been declared a so-called red zone, which no one is allowed to enter – not even former residents or firefighters. “The landslide is still active,” Ciciliano said.
The Niscemi landslide.Image: keystone
He further explained: “The safety zone continues to expand as the leading edge of the landslide extends further into the city.” In the pictures you can see how residential buildings are literally on the edge, and for some it won’t be long before they are torn down into the slope. A four kilometer long front threatens to subside.
More than 1,500 evacuees so far
The ground has been subsiding in parts of the Niscemi area in the south of the Italian Mediterranean island since the weekend. The outer part of the city is directly on the slope and is in danger of sliding further. According to authorities, more than 1,500 people have already had to leave their homes. Many of them will probably no longer be able to return to their homes.
The situation on site is classified as critical by the authorities. «I’ll just give you a number that can illustrate the extent. At the moment we are talking about a landslide mass of around 350 million cubic meters,” said Ciciliano.
According to experts, the earth in the area had become waterlogged like a sponge due to heavy rains. Over the weekend, the ground on the edge of the city gave way and sank. Due to the expected further rainfall, the risk of further demolitions has not been averted and there is great concern on site.
Severe weather emergency declared in southern Italy
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni visited Niscemi on Wednesday. She first flew over the disaster area in a helicopter to, in her own words, get an idea of the situation. She then met the Sicilian regional president Renato Schifani as well as employees of the fire department, civil defense and other municipal authorities.
Sicily has been hit by storms with heavy rainfall in recent days. Sardinia and the south of mainland Italy were also affected. The authorities estimate the damage to Sicily alone at 1.5 billion euros. On Monday, the government in Rome declared a severe weather emergency for the affected regions.
However, the focus is currently on the small town of Niscemi in southern Sicily. It is not the first natural event of its kind in the area. In 1997, parts of the city disappeared in a landslide. Many residents of Niscemi are currently reliving the nightmare of about 29 years ago. (sda/dpa)