Niscemi: Schools reopen on Monday. Assistance request form published

In Niscemi, where the wave of bad weather that has hit Sicily in recent weeks has caused a vast landslide, the first activities are beginning to resume.

"Tomorrow in Niscemi the schools will reopen," said Mayor Massimiliano Conti. "We have already moved from the three plexuses closed because they are in the red zone, those of the San Giuseppe, Don Bosco and Belvedere institutes. If the schools reopen it is because they are safe, in an area not affected by the landslide. We also checked the radiators, making a technical intervention and they are working". In a video posted on Facebook, the mayor also announced the presence of psychologists in the institutes to assist the resumption of lessons: "There will be teams of psychologists who will make a tour of the schools for a support and verification activity, a first approach to dealing with the event that has upset us".

Meanwhile, the landslide emergency ordinance and the Modulo di richiesta assistenza (Mra) for damaged citizens have been published on the Niscemi municipality website. 'It is a very first contribution of assistance,' explained Mayor Conti, 'for emergency accommodation. To cope with the housing emergency, we have started a census, and we will do it again in a more punctual manner, of the properties that are not inhabited, asking for the availability of those who want to make them available for rental". The first citizen also confirmed that 'the red zone is currently stationary and remains 150 metres' from the landslide front.

"There are no reports of other building collapses this morning, but there are portions of the slope of the river that continues to move and there have been detachments," said Michele Burgio, regional manager of the Fire Brigade. "One of the assessments we are making," explained engineer Burgio, "is to strengthen the monitoring system of the no-go zones, to intervene in the assessment of the red zone, the one that is most at risk. Of course, when, as happened last night, slope detachments occur, they have to be reassessed in real time. And this in order to be aware of the safety situation both for the people we let in, but also for the rescue and law enforcement teams, at all times, at all times'.

In the meantime, monitoring by drones and Civil Defence vehicles continues. The surveys that are underway confirm that the cross remains standing, which is becoming a "symbol of resistance" of Niscemi in the most affected neighbourhood, "Sante Croci". "It is becoming a symbol of resistance and we notice from the images that it has not given way," explained one of the professionals who has been participating in monitoring and control operations since the beginning of the emergency. Also still hovering in the balance is the Fiat Panda that has been filmed several times by aerial systems. "The monitoring, despite the rains of these days, allows us to have an up-to-date situation and will continue," say the operators involved, even on Sundays. In the town hall, the activities of the Municipal Operations Centre, which coordinates all interventions, are in full swing.