After the devastating landslide on the Italian island of Ischia, rescue units continued to search for missing persons on Sunday. A man was rescued while he was neck-deep in mud. For others, help came too late, three people were found dead: a 31-year-old Italian woman, a girl of about five years old and an older woman. The child was discovered under a mattress among the rubble of a home, rescue teams said.
Bad weather and strong winds hampered rescue work in the hardest-hit region. Several people were trapped in their homes without electricity or water until rescue teams could reach them.
Suddenly homeless
The number of injured fell from 13 to four, with one person seriously injured. 167 people who had become homeless had to stay overnight in hotels on the island. The Council of Ministers in Rome met on Sunday and called for a state of emergency on Ischia. This is intended to make funding for the homeless and reconstruction more readily available. According to the media, the cabinet wants to make two million euros available for reconstruction.
Consequences of climate change
The Council of Ministers announced that the government intends to adopt a comprehensive plan to combat the negative effects of climate change before the end of this year. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni sent soldiers to support rescuers. She announced that she will visit the island soon.
During the Angelus prayer on the first Sunday of Advent, the Pope expressed his condolences to the relatives of those affected on Ischia. He prays for the people suffering on the island and for the rescuers, Pope Francis told pilgrims gathered in St. Peter’s Square in Rome.
Two people rescued from stolen car
The storm hit the island of just over 60,000 residents early on Saturday. The coastal town of Casamicciola in the north was particularly affected. Multitudes of mud-damaged homes, where some of the missing people were suspected. According to the fire service, two people were rescued from a car that had torn into the sea. It was deployed with a total of 100 troops and 40 vehicles.
Italy is increasingly affected by severe landslides. In September, storms in the Marche Adriatic region killed 13 people. Since Friday there has been a severe weather alert in southern Italy. Floods were reported in Venice and the lagoon city is protected from the floods by a system of dams.
Source: Krone
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