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Niscemi Landslide Pushes Deeper Into Town as Red Zone Expands

Continuous ground movement has prompted relocation planning and emergency aid.

Overview

  • Civil protection officials say the slide remains active and the off‑limits red zone has been extended into central Niscemi, with all homes within about 150 meters of the edge evacuated.
  • More than 1,500 residents have been displaced, and authorities warn many homes will be uninhabitable as relocation plans and financial support, including regional aid of up to €900 per month, are prepared.
  • Geologists report a rupture front of roughly four kilometers with scarps up to 20–50 meters deep and an estimated 350 million cubic meters of displaced material, with drones and satellite imagery guiding assessments.
  • Rome has declared an emergency, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni visited the site, and military units are supporting local operations as road links and services face severe disruption; no deaths or serious injuries have been reported.
  • The Gela prosecutor has opened a criminal investigation into alleged negligent causation of a disaster, while experts cite prolonged heavy rain and vulnerable sand‑over‑clay geology and warn further collapses are possible.