ANOTHER FLOOD IN MESSINA PROVINCE

At the end of another week, it is with great sorrow that I bring you news of another flood in Italy, this time in the Province of Messina.

Torrential rain hit the area on Tuesday, causing horrific damage in 21 small towns. The worst affected were Scarcelli di Saponara, Barcellona Pozzo di Gotto, Villafranca Tirrena and Rometta.  The ensuing mudslides claimed four victims, all at Scarcelli di Saponara and among them was a ten-year-old boy.  Whole streets, bridges, business premises and homes were destroyed and 830 people, of whom 480 are from Scarcelli di Saponara, have been evacuated. Some of these have lost their homes.

This weekend a massive clearing up operation is under way and evacuees are being helped by local, regional and national organisations and volunteers.

But there is also anger and the inhabitants of Rometta, in particular, have said that they feel abandoned:  their Mayor called for help on Tuesday night but no police or civil protection officials came to the aid of the hamlet's citizens.

Raffaele Lombardo, the Governor of Sicily, has visited the stricken area this weekend and has said that his first thoughts, of course, are with the families who have lost loved ones.  He has also promised an enquiry into the safety of buildings in the area.  The Monti government has unblocked funds intended to help the people of Giampilieri and Scaletta Zanclea and it is unclear whether some of this money will be used to help those affected by this new disaster.  People in the area are worried that they are less "visible" nationally than the citizens of Genova and may therefore receive less media coverage and help.

RETURN TO GIAMPILIERI

Regular readers may remember that, following the Messina mudslides of the night of 1st - 2nd October 2009, I posted this tribute to Pasquale Simone Neri, the 29-year-old naval officer who saved eight people, then lost his own life as he returned to the main disaster area to try to save a child.

Two years on, the people of Giampilieri have been commemorating the disaster and 37 trees have been planted by the town's Mayor and the relatives of the 37 victims. The school that served as both a temporary morgue and an information centre on that dreadful night has been renamed in honour of Pasquale Simone Neri and Marco Dentici's film, Caldo Grigio, Caldo Nero, which was screened at this year's Venice Film Festival,  was shown in the town on Saturday evening.

The Mayor of Giampilieri says that most of those who lost their homes in the tragedy have now been rehoused and that those still waiting will be rehoused soon.  However, residents are angry because there has still been no public enquiry and most of the funding for reconstruction and new safety measures has come from the Sicilian Regional Government, whilst that promised by central government has not been forthcoming.  The town's inhabitants say they feel abandoned by central government which, they feel, regards them as second class citizens.

Although Sicilian Governor Raffaele Lombardo attended the commemoration event, no central government representative was present.

Marco Dentici - Caldo grigio, caldo nero

THE HERO OF GIAMPILIERI

No "sabato musicale" tonight, following the solemn funerals of the victims of the Messina tragedy. Instead, I am posting this tribute to Pasquale Simone Neri, Petty Officer, First Class, in the Italian Navy, who lost his own life whilst trying to save others.

Always known as Simone, this brave young man, who would have celebrated his thirtieth birthday in nine days' time, led eight people to the safety of a rooftop. Then he heard a child cry. He called his girlfriend, saying,
"There's a child crying. I am going to save him. Whatever happens, remember I love you."

But in just a few moments, everything was submerged in mud and debris. Simone's body was found two days later.

Image: Wikimedia Commons

Eight bodies remain to be found at Messina.

MESSINA UPDATE

Many thanks to all who expressed their concern about the tragedy at Messina. I know that the thoughts of my commenters and non-commenters alike will this evening be with the bereaved, the injured and those made homeless by the tragedy.

Last night was the first without rain since storms caused catastrophic mudslides and floods on Thursday night, particularly damaging the hamlets of Giampileri Superiore and Scaletta Zanclea. However, more temperate weather did not help the rescue and recovery operation, as the mud dried like cement in Monday's sunshine.

Of 25 dead recovered so far, 21 bodies have been identified and it is thought that there are another 10 still to be found.

Funerals will probably be held on Saturday and the Mayor of Messina wants State mourning to be declared. "Are we Sicilians, we people of Messina, children of a lesser God?" he has asked.

Recovery work continues throughout the long nights.

MESSINA

Like everyone in Sicily, I am thinking this evening of the people of Messina and my heart goes out to them as rescuers tirelessly continue the search for 40 people still missing after the mudslide of the night of 1-2 October.

Horrifying images of the tragedy have now gone around the world and as a Welshwoman I cannot help remembering Aberfan. In that sad town, too, a "tragedy was waiting to happen" and one day, it did. There, too, the folly of man was a contributory factor and there, too, warnings went unheeded. And there , too, torrential rain caused a mountain to move upon an October day.

Deforestation; uncontrolled, unauthorised building; unwise, dense areas of construction too close to a riverbed and the sea; all are partly to blame and politicians are accused of sitting on their laurels whilst these processes have taken place. Oh, pity the south: criticised for lagging behind in urban development and often derided as "Africa" in the north, what can it do? And it is not alone in its haste to build: 70% of Italian towns are said to be at risk of hydro-geological disaster and in Sicily 92% of councils are doing nothing about the situation.

Watching the Italian television coverage, you begin to understand the appeal of Berlusconi: at his best in such a crisis, he has visited the area today and has not procrastinated. He will provide new housing for the survivors on the L'Aquila model and he has said so categorically.

You also see the Italian people at their best: all who can do so volunteer to help in the rescue efforts whilst luxury hotels along the Messina stretto open their doors to those made homeless by the disaster. These impromptu guests do not give a public inventory of their lost possessions but instead tell a rai reporter that they lack for nothing whilst the younger adults among them organise corridor games for the children.

And you wonder about the Messina Bridge, for this is what the project's opponents mean when they protest that there are more important issues to deal with first; basic issues such as ensuring the safety of Sicily's communities.

But let us not forget perfidious nature, a force which we have ceased to respect. As the many voices are raised, and will continue to be raised, in justified anger, let us remember Mayor Buzzanca of Messina's statement that no one could have predicted that 250 mm of rain would fall on the area in a matter of hours.

Once blame is apportioned, as it must be, and headlines focus on this rather than the human tragedy, we tend, if we are not personally affected, to move on and forget. So I ask you to hold the brave Messinesi in your hearts tonight and in the difficult days to come.