The hill that the Sicilian town of Niscemi lies on is sliding towards the plain where the city of Gela is situated, Italian Civil Protection Department Chief Fabio Ciciliano said on Tuesday after inspecting the situation following a huge landslide on Sunday that made it necessary to evacuate around 1,500 people from their homes.
Sunday's landslide swallowed a long chunk of highway and left many homes perilously perched on the precipice of a cliff.
It took place after Cyclone Harry last week wreaked devastation in Calabria, Sicily and Sardinia, causing an estimated 1.5 billion euros in damage in Sìcily alone and prompting the national government to declare a state of emergency in the three regions.
"The whole hill is falling onto the Gela plain," said Ciciliano, who was attending a meeting with officials including Sicilian Governor Renato Schifani.
"The landslide is (still) fully active and the situation is critical.
