It had been predicted for some time and so it happened: the passage of Cyclone Harry hit Southern Italy with particular violence, causing enormous damage and redesigning coasts, population centers and infrastructures. The cyclone, active for days in the Mediterranean, hit Sicily, Calabria and Sardinia with increasing force, bringing with it violent winds, persistent rain and exceptional storm surges. The toll is constantly updated and tells of eroded coastlines, blocked roads, essential services out of use and preventive evacuations.
Eastern Sicily under siege: Ionian coast devastated
In Sicily, in Santa Teresa di Riva, in the Messina area, the sea has erased large portions of the seafront, leaving the town without water and electricity. The central water tank has emptied due to torn pipes, while the municipal video surveillance system is out of order. The footbridge over the Agrò stream is also closed, a symbol of a road system now compromised.
The situation is also critical in Letojanni, where a freak wave invaded the streets, and in the Ionian Messina area, with access bans on the seafront and schools closed in several municipalities. Tragedy came close to tragedy in Messina when a motorist ended up in a sinkhole that opened up on the seafront.
Catania and its province: destroyed coastlines and impassable roads
Catanese also pays a very heavy bill. The seafront of Catania, from Piazza Nettuno to the seaside villages, appears gutted by the storms, with street furniture destroyed, flooded streets and debris everywhere. In San Giovanni Li Cuti some houses suffered partial collapses, while in Plaia the sand invaded the roadway.
Significant damage also occurred in Mascali and Fondachello, where the sea surpassed the breakwaters and entered bathing establishments and houses facing the sea. Problems with the gas network and flooding are also recorded in Riposto, Acireale, Stazzo and Santa Tecla. The Civil Protection maintains the red alert on the Ionian strip between Messina and Catania, while railway traffic only partially restarts, with some sections still closed.
Ionian Calabria: evacuations, collapses and swallowed coasts
As for Calabria, the Ionian part is among the most affected areas. In the Catanzaro area, around 100 families were evacuated to Roccelletta di Borgia, in addition to the displaced from San Sostene, Simeri Crichi and the Pierà district of Catanzaro. In Catanzaro Lido the sea has erased stretches of seafront, making roads and car parks impassable.
In the Crotone area the situation remains dramatic: in San Mauro Marchesato a part of the municipal cemetery collapsed, dragging coffins into a ravine. In Crotone the evacuation of the coastal towns of Margherita and Gabella began, with the obligation to leave the ground floors and basements. Port activities in Cirò Marina and Le Castella have been blocked.
Reggino and Cosenza Tyrrhenian Sea: destroyed seafronts and felled trees
In the Ionian Reggino the wind and waves hit Melito Porto Salvo hard, where 100 meters of seafront collapsed, but significant damage was also reported in Ferruzzano, Bova Marina, Caulonia and Siderno, with the old pier seriously damaged. On the Tyrrhenian Sea near Cosenza, in Cetraro, the wind knocked down numerous trees, causing disruption to traffic and continuous interventions by the firefighters.
Sardinia: evacuations and submerged coasts
Sardinia was also affected by the wave of bad weather. Preventive evacuations were triggered in the Cagliari area due to the risk of flooding of rivers and streams. In Capoterra the sea invaded the coastal hamlets, while in Cagliari the Poetto beach was submerged by water reaching the road, forcing it to be closed to traffic. In Tortolì, in the province of Nuoro, the collapse of a tree injured two people, fortunately not seriously.
An emergency that is not over yet
According to meteorologists, Harry is not a hurricane but an intense and stationary disturbance, fueled by the clash between cold Atlantic air and warm African currents. Winds of up to 150 km/h and waves up to 10 meters high explain the extent of the damage. The system will gradually weaken, but a new disturbance is expected over the weekend. An announced disaster that risks having a long-lasting impact on the economy of Southern Italy.
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