Heavy storms triggered a landslide in Niscemi, Sicily, leaving homes projecting over a collapsing plateau and forcing more than 1,500 people to evacuate. Civil Protection Head Fabio Ciciliano said some houses are uninhabitable and that residents in the danger zone will be permanently relocated once the ground stabilizes. The national government declared a state of emergency for Sicily, Sardinia and Calabria and allocated €100 million, while local officials estimate total damage at over €1 billion. Residents voiced anger that earlier slope instability received insufficient attention.
Homes Teeter on Cliff After Storm-Triggered Landslide in Niscemi, Sicily
A drone picture shows houses perched along the edge of a cliff after a landslide in Niscemi, Sicily, Italy, January 27, 2026. REUTERS/Danilo Arnone
Homes in the Sicilian town of Niscemi are hanging over the edge of a collapsing plateau after a landslide triggered by a violent storm, Italy's civil protection chief said on Tuesday.
Niscemi, a town of about 25,000 in south-central Sicily, sits on a plateau that authorities say is gradually sliding toward the plain below. Large sections of the slope gave way, leaving buildings projecting over the newly exposed edge and a car with its front end thrust into the chasm. More than 1,500 residents have been evacuated from high-risk areas.
"Let's be clear: there are homes on the edge of the landslide that are uninhabitable," Civil Protection Head Fabio Ciciliano told reporters, adding that people living in the affected zones will be permanently relocated.
Ciciliano said a fuller assessment will follow once surface water drains and the moving ground slows or stops, warning that the landslide remains active. Emergency crews continue to monitor the area and support evacuations.
National Response and Funding
On Monday, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's government declared a state of emergency for Sicily, Sardinia and Calabria — three southern regions hit hard by last week's storm. The national administration earmarked €100 million for immediate needs in the worst-affected areas.
Local authorities, however, estimate the damage from powerful winds and waves that pushed the sea inland and overwhelmed coastal defenses at more than €1 billion, including destroyed homes and businesses.
Local Reaction and Context
Sudden evacuation orders have stirred anxiety and anger among Niscemi residents, some of whom said authorities failed to address earlier signs of slope instability. "I have been told that I have to leave, even though I don’t have anything collapsed in my house or underneath," resident Francesco Zarba said. "We had the first landslide 30 years ago, and no one ever did anything."
Officials say extreme weather events have become more frequent in Italy in recent years, increasing the risk of floods and landslides even in areas that historically were less exposed.
Note: Officials continue to assess safety and plan relocations; residents in affected zones have been advised to follow local authority instructions.
Help us improve.
