As Sicily’s Niscemi crumbles, families race to save what the Earth hasn’t taken

February 2, 2026 10:13 PM

As Sicily’s Niscemi crumbles, families race to save what the Earth hasn’t taken

After losing their home in the Sicilian town of Niscemi in a massive landslide last week, Benedetta Ragusa and Toni Rinnone raced to salvage their pizzeria, retrieving appliances and kitchenware from the site as the ground shifted beneath them. Firefighters stood by, assessing cracks in the walls and monitoring earth movements before offering a helping hand, pushing a refrigerator up the street and to safety. "Unfortunately our house was first to collapse in Niscemi, so we didn't even have the...

Sicily’s only natural lake drying up as island grapples with drought

July 8, 2024 4:55 PM

Sicily’s only natural lake drying up as island grapples with drought

A severe drought in Sicily has nearly dried up the Mediterranean island's only natural lake which has long served as a vital resting station for birds migrating between Africa and Europe. Sicily has suffered months of below-average rainfall, with the Italian government declaring a state of emergency over the crisis, which has devastated crops and desiccated pastures. Lake Pergusa, part of a natural reserve close to the central Sicilian town of Enna, has shrunk dramatically because of a lethal ...