A woman died and a dozen people were missing on Saturday after a landslide caused by heavy rains on the Italian island of Ischia, off Naples. Initially, Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini announced 8 deaths.
In the early morning, a wave of mud and debris devastated the small town of Casamicciola Terme, in the north of the island, submerging at least one house and carrying cars towards the sea.
The first victim is a woman whose body was found by rescuers, announced the prefect of Naples, Claudio Palomba.
Some of those initially missing were later 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.
Persistent bad conditions
Search operations are complicated by persistent rain and strong winds, which have also delayed the delivery of reinforcements by ferry from the mainland.
Italian Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi earlier said several people were stuck in the mud, citing a “very serious” situation.
Casamicciola Terme, a spa resort of 8,000 winter residents on the lush island of Ischia, near Capri, suffered an earthquake in 2017 that killed two people. It had, however, been completely destroyed by a much more powerful earthquake at the end of the 19th century.
Trapped at home
The landslide “buried a house” and two people were rescued from a car that had been thrown into the sea, the fire department said.
At least 30 families are trapped in their homes by mud, without water or electricity, ANSA news agency said, adding that the road leading to their neighborhood was cut off by the mudslide and debris.
The emergency services then explained that they hoped to evacuate 150 to 200 people by Saturday evening to temporary accommodation.
ats/cab