Storm-triggered landslide leaves Sicilian town homes perched on cliff edge

A drone picture shows houses perched along the edge of a cliff after a landslide in Niscemi, Sicily, Italy, January 27, 2026. REUTERS/Danilo Arnone

Niscemi, Italy, Jan 27 (Saudi Arabia Breaking News) – Homes in the Sicilian town of Niscemi were left teetering on the edge of a cliff after a landslide triggered by a storm, prompting the evacuation of more than 1,500 residents, Italy’s civil protection authorities reported on Tuesday.

Niscemi, a town of about 25,000 in south-central Sicily, sits on a plateau that authorities say is gradually collapsing toward the plain below. Large sections of the slope gave way, leaving buildings overhanging the edge and a vehicle partly suspended over a chasm.

Civil Protection Department head Fabio Ciciliano told reporters that homes at the edge of the landslide are uninhabitable and that residents from the affected areas will be permanently relocated. Authorities said the landslide remains active, with a fuller assessment expected once water drains and ground movement slows.

On Monday, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s government declared a state of emergency for Sicily, Sardinia and Calabria after the violent storm battered the three southern regions. The administration set aside 100 million euros ($119 million) for initial needs, while local authorities have estimated damage at more than 1 billion euros.