The death toll from Saturday's
landslide on the Gulf of Naples island of Ischia rose to eight
on Monday when the body of a another victim, a man, was
recovered, as rescue workers continued the search for four
people who are missing.
A newborn baby and two other children are among the confirmed
victims of the disaster.
Four people are injured and 230 are homeless after a massive
avalanche of mud and debris hit the town of Casamicciola Terme
following intense rain.
On Sunday Premier Giorgia Meloni's cabinet declared a state of
emergency on the island and approved an initial allocation of
two millions in funding to address the aftermath of the
landslide.
Ischia's schools will remain closed on Monday and Tuesday.
The disaster has raised questions about buildings being
constructed in areas that are at a high risk of flooding and
landslides, often without the required permits.
This problem of hydrogeological risks regards many parts of
Italy, not just Ischia, which is popular with tourists thanks to
its natural beauty and thermal bath.
Experts say the problem is likely to be made worse by the
climate crisis, which is causing extreme weather events such as
powerful storms and flash floods to be more intense and more
frequent.
Earlier this year 11 people were killed by flash floods in the
central region of Marche after torrential rain.
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