After heavy rainfall - landslide threatens town in Sicily

Heavy rainfall has caused a massive landslide in Sicily. The ground in the town of Niscemi in the south of the island has been receding since the weekend.

Residential buildings are now standing directly on the edge of the precipice. As a result, more than 1,500 people have had to leave their homes.

The situation in Niscemi remains critical: the landslide is still active and moving through a residential area.

Parts of the ground consisting of mud and debris continue to slide downhill, and a front several kilometres long is threatening to give way. Some houses are no longer considered habitable.

The cause was persistent, heavy rainfall that hit the Mediterranean island in recent days. The damage is estimated at around €1.5 billion.

There is no sign of the situation easing in the coming days. Further heavy rainfall and thunderstorms are expected to sweep across the island, particularly during the night from Wednesday to Thursday and continuing into the weekend.