Torrential Rains Cause Massive Landslides, Leaving a Small Sicilian Town on the Edge of the Precipice
Cyclone Harry devastated the Island of Sicily.
Torrential rains in the Mediterranean affected Sicily with extreme force.
The storms caused a landslide that opened a wide chasm in a small town, destroying buildings and leaving many others hanging on a cliff’s edge – including structures in the historic city center.
The New York Times reported:
“The landslide in the town of Niscemi happened on Sunday, triggered in part by intense rain from Cyclone Harry, one of the most damaging storms in the Mediterranean in decades. On Wednesday, rain continued to fall and the hillside was still crumbling, heightening the danger to buildings and infrastructure near the edge.
More than 1,500 people had been evacuated from neighborhoods along the chasm, which stretched for about 2.5 miles. Houses and apartment buildings were perched precariously at the edge, and aerial footage showed underground pipes and cables dangling from exposed foundations. A silver-gray sedan was partly suspended over the abyss.”
❗️⚠️🇮🇹 – A massive landslide is devastating parts of the town of Niscemi in central Sicily, Italy.
Triggered by relentless heavy rainfall from Cyclone Harry (also referred to as Storm Harry), the landslide began on January 25, 2026, and has continued to expand rapidly.
It has… pic.twitter.com/3rE0h4v5fF
— 🔥🗞The Informant (@theinformant_x) January 27, 2026
“’We are in a movie, in a horror film, it’s still all up in the air’, said Stefania Di Giovanni, who lives a kilometer from the edge. She said she did not know when she would be able to return to the restaurant she owns in Niscemi’s historic center.”