health
February 9, 2026
‘We’ve lost everything’: anger and despair in Sicilian town collapsing after landslide
People in Niscemi struggle to comprehend loss of homes and businesses and feel disaster could have been avoided
TL;DR
- A severe landslide in Niscemi, Sicily, caused by Cyclone Harry, has created a 4km chasm, destroying infrastructure and endangering homes.
- Over 1,600 residents have been evacuated, with entire sections of the historic centre at risk, including churches.
- Experts attribute the landslide to the climate emergency and decades of poor building policies and urbanisation in the Mediterranean.
- Residents express trauma, anger, and despair, believing the disaster was preventable, especially given Niscemi's history of landslides.
- The public prosecutor’s office in Gela has opened an investigation into negligent disaster.
- Italy has a history of building in fragile areas, leading to numerous landslides and deaths, with uncontrolled urbanisation fueled by post-WWII aid being a contributing factor.
- Extreme weather events, like Cyclone Harry, are becoming more frequent and intense due to climate change, posing greater risks to vulnerable areas.
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