1. Skip to content
  2. Skip to main menu
  3. Skip to more DW sites
PoliticsItaly

Italy: Niscemi, a town on the edge

04:42

This browser does not support the video element.

Gustav Hofer
March 9, 2026

A 4-kilometer stretch of land is collapsing in the town of Niscemi on the island of Sicily. The unstable slope had a history of landslides but hardly anyone took precautions. Now, some districts are uninhabitable.

Sicily is facing a severe landslide crisis: In Niscemi, more than 1,500 residents were forced to leave their homes, despite long‑known risks. Millions of eruos earmarked for protection never materialized due to bureaucratic delays. Now people like Carmela Rizzo are losing their homes again. Even with new funding from Rome, the long‑term future of the town remains uncertain.

Skip next section DW's Top Story

DW's Top Story

Skip next section More stories from DW

More stories from DW