Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni returned on Monday to Niscemi, the Sicilian town devastated by a landslide last month, as she toured other areas hit by Cyclone Harry, which also caused extensive damage in Calabria and Sardinia. She was accompanied by Civil Protection Chief Fabio Ciciliano for a reconnaissance of the affected sites.
The landslide in Niscemi destroyed several homes and left others precariously perched on the cliff edge, forcing the evacuation of over 1,500 residents. Authorities warned that some properties in the most dangerous zones would never be safe to return to, as the hill beneath the town continues to slide toward the plain where the city of Gela lies. Ciciliano confirmed that the ground remains unstable and ongoing monitoring is essential.
Speaking at the site, Meloni said the government would allocate €150 million to support reconstruction. “Niscemi is the most closely monitored municipality in Europe,” she said. “We are allocating regular and immediate funding to three areas: the demolition of buildings, safety measures, and the purchase of new properties.”
She also announced that a government decree expected on Wednesday will appoint Ciciliano as extraordinary commissioner for reconstruction. The prime minister highlighted the symbolic significance of the town’s recovery, recalling the stone cross that had teetered on the cliff edge for weeks and came to represent hope and resilience before it fell. Police and firefighters recovered the cross on Sunday.
The landslide followed days of violent storms linked to Cyclone Harry, which caused widespread destruction across southern Italy. In Sicily alone, the cyclone inflicted damages estimated at over €2 billion, leaving communities struggling with flooding, structural collapse, and ongoing emergency operations.
