Niscemi Faces Housing Crisis as Landslide Threatens Homes and Safety

A disastrous landslide in Niscemi, a historic town in Sicily's Caltanissetta province, has left dozens of homes teetering precariously on a crumbling cliff. The landslide, which extends 4 kilometers in length, has prompted the evacuation of approximately 1500 residents from their homes, with the town nearly cut off from the outside world. Local authorities, including Salvo Cocina, head of the Sicilian Civil Protection, have warned that houses within 50 to 70 meters of the cliff are in severe danger of collapse as the landslide continues to progress. The ground instability began around midday on a Sunday, originating in the Sante Croci district before spreading to Trappeto and via Popolo, affecting the western slope of the town. Reports indicated that cracks in the asphalt and soil have led to significant ground movement; some structures have already given way to the cliff, collapsing along with adjacent roadways where vehicles were parked. Fortunately, no injuries have been reported thus far. In response to the crisis, vital routes connecting Niscemi to nearby Caltagirone and Catania, specifically provincial roads 10 and 12, have been closed, leaving only provincial road 11 operational. The regional Civil Protection agency is actively providing support to those displaced, while the municipality has opened a gymnasium to accommodate evacuees. However, many of those affected have sought refuge with family and friends. Pietro Stimolo, the deputy mayor of Niscemi, shared that emergency evacuations were efficiently completed within a few hours for the areas deemed most at risk. As the situation remains fluid and precarious, he emphasized that the coming hours and days will be critical for assessing the ongoing evolution of the landslide. Niscemi's population stands at about 25,000, and this recent landslide is not an isolated incident. It comes on the heels of a previous evacuation in January when 35 people had to flee their homes due to similar ground instability along the Maroglio River valley. Although only a road was affected at that time, damage to the gas and fiber optic networks served as a warning of the underlying hydrogeological risks that have plagued the region for decades. The town is situated on a plateau made up of layers of sand and clay, and the impact of Cyclone Harry has exacerbated conditions lately by unleashing heavy rains. Water infiltrates the porous sand and reaches a less permeable clay layer, creating a slippery surface that facilitates the sliding of the upper layer. Urban development practices of the past, where constructions were often set up close to cliff edges, have only intensified the risk, compromising the natural drainage of water and leading to increased erosion. It is worrrying that almost the entire historic center is assessed at the highest hydrogeological risk level—level 4. This latest landslide was not wholly unexpected; a similar event had occurred in 1997, albeit less dramatically. That earlier incident resulted in the demolition of around 70 homes in the Sante Croci district and left the district church in a precarious state, later deemed uninhabitable. Following that landslide, the Caltagirone prosecutor's office initiated an inquiry into involuntary disaster, implicating municipal officials and technical staff accused of negligence in permitting construction in high-risk areas during the 1970s and 1980s. The inquiry also examined the allocation of funding for consolidation projects in the early 1990s, seeking to determine whether the necessary works were implemented correctly. That investigation revealed significant shortcomings in the local drainage infrastructure, with a system that was wholly inadequate in some areas. However, despite these detections, pinpointing accountability has proven challenging, leading many offenses to escape prosecution due to statute limitations. The recent events in Niscemi illuminate pressing issues surrounding land use, environmental risks, and the responsibility of authorities in safeguarding communities against natural disasters, urging a reevaluation of building regulations and disaster preparedness in vulnerable regions. Related Sources: • Source 1 • Source 2