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Island landslide kills seven

Italy declares state of emergency as rain hampers rescue

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Casamiccio­la Terme: Italy declared a state of emergency on the southern island of Ischia after a landslide killed at least seven people and left several others missing.

A wave of mud and debris crashed through the small town of Casamiccio­la Terme on Saturday morning, engulfing at least one house and sweeping cars down to the sea, local media and emergency services said.

“The toll of victims from the landslide in Casamiccio­la has risen to seven dead, while five are missing,” Naples city prefect Claudio Palomba announced late Sunday.

A first tranche of €2mil (Rm9.356mil) of relief funds was released at the end of an emergency cabinet meeting, which declared the state of emergency, said Minister for Civil Protection, Nello Musumeci.

Italian media had earlier reported that four bodies had been found by Sunday afternoon.

More than 200 rescuers were still searching for missing people, while hundreds of volunteers, up to their knees in mud, were busy cleaning the town’s streets.

The rescue effort had been hampered by rain and high winds, which also delayed ferries bringing reinforcem­ents from the mainland.

“It’s a situation that hurts us, if only for the people who disappeare­d under the mountain. Here it’s an island and even if we don’t really know everyone, it’s almost that,” Salvatore Lorini, 45, said.

Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi had earlier warned there were people trapped in the mud, saying it was a “very serious” situation. Heavy rain sent torrents of mud through the streets of Casamiccio­la Terme, a spa resort of 8,000 inhabitant­s on the north of Ischia, a lush island near Capri that is thronged with tourists in summer.

Trees were upturned and cars left battered on the side of the road or in the water, according to journalist­s at the scene.

 ?? — reuters ?? Aftermath: damaged cars are seen in the sea, following a landslide on the Italian holiday island of Ischia, Italy.
— reuters Aftermath: damaged cars are seen in the sea, following a landslide on the Italian holiday island of Ischia, Italy.

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