The Italian cabinet has approved more than €1.25 billion to address the damage caused by Cyclone Harry across southern Italy, Civil Protection Minister Nello Musumeci said on Wednesday.
The funding package includes over €1.1 billion, on top of an initial €100 million already allocated, for damage in Sicily, Sardinia and Calabria. A further €150 million has been earmarked specifically for the Sicilian town of Niscemi, where a rain-induced landslide caused part of the town to slip into the valley below.
Cyclone Harry brought violent storm surges along coastal areas and intense rainfall inland, triggering flooding, landslides and widespread infrastructure damage. Emergency services carried out evacuations in several municipalities as rivers burst their banks and transport links were disrupted.
Musumeci said the presidents of the three affected regions, acting as government-appointed commissioners, will oversee the allocation of funds and coordinate urgent interventions. The measures are designed to support families and businesses hit by the severe weather and to restore roads, public buildings and essential services.
Niscemi has a different structure in place. The government appointed Fabio Ciciliano, head of the Civil Protection Department, as special commissioner to manage reconstruction and stabilisation efforts in the town.
The government declared a state of emergency following the cyclone, enabling rapid access to national funds and streamlined procedures for rebuilding. Officials said the new financial package aims to ensure both immediate relief and longer-term recovery in some of the hardest-hit areas of southern Italy.
