00:02Imagine standing in front of your house
00:04when the ground suddenly gives way beneath your feet.
00:07That's what happened here in Sicily.
00:10More than 1,500 people were forced to flee their homes.
00:14Many will never return.
00:16For years, the area had been known to be prone to landslides.
00:20Funding was allocated.
00:22Still, no protective measures were taken.
00:25How did it come to this?
00:30Nishemi is located about 90 kilometers southwest of Catania.
00:34Around 25,000 people live here,
00:36in one of Italy's most economically disadvantaged regions.
00:40The streets of the old town have been deserted since January 25, 2026.
00:48Carmela Rizzo was forced to evacuate.
00:51She's waiting for help at the fire station with her daughter.
00:54But she wants to go back one last time for a few personal belongings.
01:00They are accompanying me back to the house.
01:02We'll see what we can find.
01:06Carmela sets off, along with volunteers and the fire department.
01:14Where we're staying now, we're out of wood.
01:17I need to get the gas heater.
01:20It's not the first time Carmela has had to leave everything behind.
01:24In 1997, another landslide destroyed many houses in Nishemi, including hers.
01:31Back then, it took three years before I could move into the new house.
01:36I had lived there since 2000.
01:39Following the landslide of 1997, the municipality was granted around 10 million euros,
01:43money intended to support affected families and demolish damaged buildings.
01:49Ten years later, another program followed, with 9 million euros,
01:53earmarked for safety measures on the slope.
01:55But the projects never materialized.
01:58The reasons why remain a matter of debate to this day.
02:05Journalist Salvo Catalano followed the paper trail.
02:10Sicily's massive bureaucratic machine played a decisive role in the handling of Nishemi's landslide.
02:16In the last few years, the money was actually available.
02:21It mostly failed due to a lack of planning, severely understaffed offices and sluggish bureaucracy.
02:32The current mayor hadn't yet taken office when the funds were approved.
02:36He denies any responsibility.
02:39I can't be held accountable for previous administrations.
02:43I can and will only take responsibility for my own leadership.
02:47These questions must be clarified by the relevant authorities.
02:53Meanwhile, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni pledged 150 million euros on her second trip to Nishemi.
02:59Money intended to help families and secure the site.
03:03But securing the slope permanently will be no easy task, says geologist Filippo Capotto.
03:13The crack in the ground is about four kilometers long.
03:16It runs very deep, making structural reinforcements extremely difficult.
03:22Can we prevent further landslides entirely?
03:25Probably not.
03:29We have to find ways to live with the risks.
03:32And unfortunately, we have to be prepared for the edge to move even further back.
03:42Back to Carmela.
03:44Okay, you can go in now.
03:51That's the gas heater.
03:54Since the day the earth began to slide in Nishemi, time has stood still in Carmela's apartment.
04:02The memory is still vivid.
04:06We were resting.
04:07I had just showered and was still in my pajamas and slippers.
04:11Suddenly there was this noise.
04:12Boom, boom.
04:13Then the mayor called.
04:14We have to get out, fast.
04:18Whether Carmela will be able to return here remains uncertain.
04:25I just hope I get a house I can die in, so I know at least where I can die.
04:32But for now, nobody knows what the future of Nishemi looks like.
04:39Thank you so very much for being here, Chippey.
04:40Thanks to everybody for praising to Macemish,
04:40benchpies, "...check to finish this as well.erved".
04:42Going back to
04:42the stage to score all night. Are you hereköke,
Comments