A dozen people are still wanted this Sunday on the Italian island of Ischia following a landslide, which left at least one dead.
A serious landslide
A wave of mud and debris caused by heavy rains devastated the small town of Casamicciola Terme in the north of the island off Naples on Saturday morning.
The landslide sent torrents of mud through the streets which overturned trees and swept away and dented vehicles in them, sometimes to the sea. It also "buried a house" and two people were saved of a car that had been thrown into the sea, the fire department said.
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A dozen missing in an impressive landslide in Ischia, Italy
At least 30 families are trapped in their homes by mud, without water or electricity, the ANSA news agency said, adding that the road leading to their neighborhood was cut off by the mudslide and by debris.
At least one victim and several others missing
The body of a woman has been found by rescuers, announced Claudio Palomba, prefect of Naples.
Identified, she was 31 years old, according to the AGI agency.
The Italian press also mentions thirteen injured.
Some of those initially missing were eventually found safe and sound, including a family with a newborn baby, the prefect said.
But we had no news of a dozen people in the middle of the afternoon, according to Claudio Palomba.
"We fear that there are other victims but, so far, the number (of victims) is (of a deceased person)," said Luca Cari, spokesman for the fire department.
Italian Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi had previously indicated that several people were stuck in the mud, citing a "very serious" situation.
Rescue operations complicated by the weather
Search operations were complicated by persistent rain and strong winds, which also delayed the delivery of reinforcements by ferry from the mainland.
The emergency services had planned to evacuate 150 to 200 people before nightfall from Saturday to Sunday to temporary accommodation, and local authorities called on the inhabitants of the island to stay at home, so as not to interfere with recovery operations. rescue.
Research continues in Ischia.
(Reuters/Ciro de Luca)
“Rescue operations remain complicated due to weather conditions,” according to the civil protection department, but the search continued into the night thanks to searchlights.
The government hiccup
The management of the disaster gave rise to a government hiccup.
Italian Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi denied claims by his colleague, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Infrastructure Matteo Salvini, who had given the death toll at eight.
“At this precise moment, no death is confirmed”, had reversed Matteo Piantedosi, before the announcement of the death of the thirty-something, while pointing out that the situation could still evolve.
Sono in contatto con il Ministro Musumeci, il @DPCgov e la Regione Campania per seguire l'evoluzione dell'ondata di maltempo che ha colpito Ischia.
Il Governo expresses vicinanza ai cittadini, ai Sindaci dell'isola e ringrazia i soccorritori impegnati nella ricerca dei dispersi.
— Giorgia Meloni (@GiorgiaMeloni) November 26, 2022
Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, who tweeted that she was keeping abreast of the search operations, is due to discuss the crisis this Sunday with her cabinet in an extraordinary meeting.