In Niscemi the landslide continues to move, marking the landscape and the daily life of the community. Unfortunately, collapses follow one another and in the last few hours the cross placed along the front of the landslide has also paid the price, which in recent weeks has become a symbol of hope and resistance for the country. This was confirmed by the mayor Massimiliano Conti, who on social media spoke of further pain for a community already affected by the emergency.
The cross was located in the Sante Croci district, a few meters from the void created by the landslide. It had been placed years ago in memory of the church damaged by the collapse of 1997 and, after the new collapses, it had taken on an even stronger value for the inhabitants. Its fall had a profound symbolic, rather than material, impact in a context marked by evacuations and uncertainties.
About 300 families displaced
The landslide forced entire neighborhoods of Niscemi to evacuate, including Sante Croci, Trappeto and via Popolo. There are around three hundred displaced families, many of whom have found temporary accommodation in other homes or in municipal structures such as the sports hall. The situation remains constantly monitored for the risk of further collapses. From tomorrow, a local branch of the emergency commissioner’s office will be operational, hosted by the Municipality, with regional staff to support citizens.
Firefighters and volunteers working to recover assets
The activity of the firefighters, who have been working on the landslide front since January 25th, continues unabated. Usar specialists and the Sapr unit, which uses drones for monitoring, have set up an advanced control network in the area. The cross-analysis of the data allowed, for a few hours, access to a previously closed area, between 30 and 50 meters from the landslide front.
In this context, 30 asset recovery interventions were carried out, allowing several residents to temporarily return to their homes to recover personal effects and memories of a life that would otherwise have been lost, always accompanied by rescuers.
Alongside the institutions, a volunteer network operates which supports the most vulnerable people. Associations like Outsider provide daily assistance to displaced people, especially the elderly, offering practical and human support. A silent work that takes place in the shadows but is essential, which accompanies those who have lost their home and, often, an important piece of their history.
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