# Watch: Huge Landslide in Sicily After Storm Harry
In the wake of **Cyclone Harry**, a powerful storm that battered southern Italy last week, a massive landslide in the Sicilian town of **Niscemi** has left over **1,500 residents displaced**, with homes teetering on cliff edges and an ongoing geological crisis unfolding.[1][2][3] Watch the chilling footage below capturing the sheer scale of the disaster, as cliffs crumble and buildings hang precariously over a growing chasm.
## The Fury of Storm Harry Unleashes Chaos
**Storm Harry**, a deep low-pressure system over the central-western Mediterranean, struck Sicily, Calabria, and Sardinia around January 20, 2026, delivering relentless heavy rain, winds exceeding 80 mph, and sea waves up to **9 meters (30 feet)** high.[1][2][4] These extreme conditions overwhelmed coastal defenses, flooding streets, destroying boats, and triggering widespread evacuations. In Sicily’s coastal towns like Roccalumera, Fondachello, and Marzamemi, massive waves carried seawater, sand, and debris deep into neighborhoods, forcing around 190 people from their homes, including nursing home residents in Messina.[4]
The storm’s impact was devastating: accumulated rainfall surpassed **12 inches in under 48 hours** in some areas, equivalent to months of normal precipitation, heightening risks of flash floods and landslides.[4] Red alerts blanketed the island, closing schools in over 150 municipalities and halting rail lines between Palermo and Catania due to flooding and slide threats.[4] Power outages from fallen trees and damaged lines plagued Syracuse and Ragusa provinces, while sinkholes isolated communities in Calabria.[4]
## Niscemi: A Town on the Brink
At the epicenter of the landslide crisis is **Niscemi**, a hill town of about 25,000 in south-central Sicily perched on a plateau that’s now collapsing toward the plain below.[2][3] Two major landslides struck within days, fueled by soaked soils from the storm’s downpours. The affected zone spans **4 kilometers** and plunges up to **6 meters (20 feet)** deep, with the slide still active as of January 27.[1][3]
Eyewitness footage from Local Team video agency shows a narrow vertical cliff section shearing off, ripping apart buildings and sending them tumbling.[3] **Homes now overhang the edge**, with one car dangling front-first into the abyss.[2] Italy’s Civil Protection chief, **Fabio Ciciliano**, described the scene starkly: “There are homes on the edge of the landslide that are uninhabitable.” He noted the slide continues to creep into town, necessitating more evacuations—numbers have climbed from hundreds to **1,500**.[1][2]
Schools closed Monday, and geological surveys began Sunday evening, but Mayor Danilo Arnone warned that rain-soaked land keeps giving way.[2][3] “Once the water has drained and the moving section has stopped or slowed, a more accurate assessment will be made,” Ciciliano added, emphasizing the ongoing danger.[2]
*Embed video here: YouTube clip of cliff collapse in Niscemi (e.g., from euronews or similar source showing the vertical drop and building failure).* [3]
## Government Response: State of Emergency Declared
Italy’s government, under Prime Minister **Giorgia Meloni**, declared a **one-year state of emergency** Monday for Sicily, Sardinia, and Calabria.[1][2] They’ve allocated **€100 million ($119 million)** from the national emergency fund for immediate aid: debris clearance, service restoration, and resident support.[1][2]
Sicily’s regional president, **Renato Schifani**, pegged initial damages at **€740 million**, but warned it could double; local estimates exceed **€1.5 billion** island-wide, factoring in the Niscemi slide.[2][3] Funds target the worst-hit zones, where waves pushed sea inland, demolishing homes and businesses.[2] Sicily Governor Renato Schifani (distinct from regional president) updated that **1,500** are displaced in Niscemi alone, with Civil Protection’s yellow alert extended through January 27 across multiple regions.[1]
Relief efforts include permanent relocation for affected Niscemi residents, as officials deem edge properties unlivable.[2] Watch this embedded video of **9-meter waves ravaging Sicily’s coast** (YouTube: “9 Meter High Waves Ravage Sicily’s Coast”) to grasp the storm’s prelude to the landslide—boats shattered, homes flooded, and infrastructure crippled.[4]
*Embed video here: Tropical Storm Harry footage showing waves overtopping seawalls in Roccalumera and coastal devastation.*
## Broader Impacts and Ongoing Risks
Beyond Niscemi, **Storm Harry** paralyzed southern Italy. Sardinia’s Cedrino River swelled, prompting riverbank evacuations and road closures from smaller slides.[4] Calabria saw sinkholes on coastal routes and isolated neighborhoods.[4] Major cities like Palermo, Catania, and Messina battled deep floods and traffic chaos.[4]
Meteorologists predict weakening by late Wednesday, but short-term risks linger for coasts and hills.[4] Emergency centers monitor closely, with technical teams restoring power amid hazards.[4] A relief fund, “Harry Relief,” invites donations via text (HELPSICILY to 707070) or online for cyclone-hit towns in Catania, Messina, and Siracusa.[5]
This disaster underscores Sicily’s vulnerability to extreme weather, exacerbated by climate patterns intensifying Mediterranean storms. As Niscemi’s plateau frays, questions loom on long-term prevention—geological stabilization, better warnings, and resilient infrastructure.
*Embed additional video: Cyclone Harry surge destroying east Sicily coasts (YouTube: “Sicily Devastated By Cyclone Harry”).*[5]
The human toll weighs heaviest: families uprooted, livelihoods shattered. Yet Italy’s swift emergency measures offer hope for recovery. Stay tuned for updates as surveys progress and the slide’s full scope emerges. Share this post to spread awareness—Sicily needs global support.
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Original source: BBC News – Watch: Huge landslide in Sicily after Storm Harry
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