Status: 11/26/2022 6:01 p.m
Destroyed houses, cars torn into the sea – and masses of mud in which emergency services have to search for other possible victims: after the severe storm on Ischia, several people are still missing.
It is a symbol of the elemental force of the landslide, broadcast by state television RAI, among others: a dented tourist bus with partially destroyed windows, stuck half on the beach and half in sea water. The early morning mudslide that swept through Casamicciola, north of Ischia, also swept this bus parked in a street, right up to the shore.
Streets covered in mud, trees torn down and cars pressed against the walls of houses, shows the video of an eyewitness, which was released by the news channel Sky TG24. “It’s carnage,” the stunned observer can be heard saying.
The area devastated by the landslide in the north of Ischia. Heavy rains triggered a mudslide in the morning.
Image: EPA
“The mud took everything away”
Gianni Capuano, the head of civil defense on Ischia, was also shocked during an inspection of the hills above the Casamicciola accident site: “From up here to the entrance to Casamicciola, the mud took everything with it. The roads on the island are all blocked here.”
The head of the national civil protection, Fabrizio Curcio, says in view of the extent of the destruction on Ischia: “It’s a tragedy.”
The government initially gave different figures on the number of victims. Infrastructure Minister Matteo Salvini had spoken of eight deaths from the landslide. Salvini was later corrected by Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi. According to him, no fatalities had been officially confirmed in the afternoon. Meanwhile, agencies, citing the Prefecture of the Naples Region, report that a dead woman has been recovered.
After landslide: search for missing people on the Italian island of Ischia continues
Rüdiger Kronthaler, ARD Rome, daily news at 4:06 p.m., November 26th, 2022
Civil Defense: Several buildings destroyed
It is clear that the landslide in northern Ischia caused devastating damage. According to the civil defense, several buildings have been destroyed. Initially, more than 30 families were cut off from the outside world in their homes by masses of mud. The president of the Campania region called for a state of emergency to be declared for Ischia.
The work of the rescuers was made more difficult throughout the day by a strong storm, with wind force eleven at times. Interior Minister Piantedosi also admitted at a press conference:
There are some difficulties in the rescue work because the weather conditions are still problematic. Nevertheless, we managed to bring more rescue workers to Ischia both by sea and by air. I am in close contact with Prime Minister Meloni and the other ministers on this rescue work, which is very difficult to move forward.
Expert: Catastrophic rains “programmed”
The landslide was triggered by the heavy rains over Ischia last night. According to the civil defense, within a few hours there was twelve centimeters of rain on the island. As a result, masses of earth were loosened in the hills above the village of Casamicciola and slid towards the sea as a huge mudslide.
According to the geologist Massimiliano Fazzini from the University of Chieti-Pescara, the current accident on Ischia is a consequence of climate change. Catastrophic rainfall like the one now on Ischia, says Fazzini, was “programmed” after the exceptionally dry summer.
The heavy rain during the night also led to a landslide on the nearby coast in Sorrento, albeit on a much smaller scale. According to the city authorities, three people were injured in Sorrento.