Woman dies in fierce storms on Italian island of Ischia – “a tragedy” London delivers 3 (three) helicopters to Ukraine – why that still makes a difference

Cars sunk in the mud, buses torn into the sea, debris and devastation in the streets: fierce storms on Saturday caused flooding, chaos and devastation in the north of Italy’s Mediterranean island of Ischia. A woman died in the mud, the prefecture in Naples said. About ten were still considered missing. Eight missing persons, including a child, have now surfaced and been brought to safety. “It’s a tragedy,” said the head of civil defense. On Friday, his authority warned of storms and severe weather in the southern Italian region of Campania, including the island of Ischia, which is popular with tourists.

In the early hours of the morning, the storm broke over the island with a population of just over 60,000. The coastal town of Casamicciola in the north was particularly affected. Multitudes of mud-damaged homes, where some of the missing people were suspected. According to the fire service, two people were rescued from a car that had torn into the sea. It was deployed with a total of 70 troops. Images on television showed a slope undergoing a landslide and a man trapped in the water inside a building to burst in the dark. Firefighter videos showed completely destroyed cars and streets flooded with rubble and earth.

Due to the raging storm, rescuers said they were having trouble reaching people on the island. “The situation is very complicated,” said Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi at the microphone of the Rainews24 TV channel. It’s possible people were trapped under the mud, he explained.

The authorities sent specialists, vehicles and other reinforcements to Ischia from Naples. The military sent helicopters to help. According to Piantedosi, about 200 residents should be evacuated from their homes. Many in the affected part of the island were unable to leave their homes for hours. The administration instructed the people to do this. Many had no electricity. Schools, cemeteries and parks were closed on Saturday anyway. Sciatica Mayor Enzo Ferrandino ordered this on Friday because of the severe weather warning.

Meanwhile, there were also reports of eight fatalities, which the prefecture and the carabinieri in Naples have not confirmed for the time being. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni thanked the rescuers for their work, as announced by their official headquarters in Rome. She is in contact with the local authorities. Other ministers also expressed their solidarity with the people of the largest island in the Gulf of Naples. (sda/dpa)

(aeg/sda/dpa)