Sicily's Slippery Slope: Town on the Brink After Massive Landslide

Sicily is facing a big problem. A huge landslide has left many homes hanging on the edge of a cliff. This happened after days of heavy rain from a cyclone. Over 1, 500 people had to leave their homes quickly. The landslide in Niscemi, a town in southwest Sicily, is massive. It's 4 kilometers long. Pictures show cars and buildings falling 20 meters down a new cliff. Many homes are still dangerously close to the edge. The government has set up a "no go zone" that's 150 meters wide. This is to keep people safe. The head of civil protection said the whole hill is sliding down. Some houses can't be lived in anymore. The government is working to find new homes for these families.The Italian government has declared a state of emergency. They have given 100 million euros to help. But the damage is much worse. The total cost in Sicily is estimated at 2 billion euros. The prime minister visited the area. She promised more help is coming. She said they will find new homes for people and fix roads, utilities, and schools. This isn't the first time this has happened. Niscemi is built on sand and clay. These layers become very wet in heavy rain. A big landslide happened here in 1997. Now, it's happening again, but worse. The landslide is still moving. This makes it hard to know how to fix it. People are asking why buildings were allowed here. The land is known for landslides. The regional president said it's a fair question. But he focused on helping people right now. The situation is serious. The landslide is still active. This makes it hard to know exactly what to do.