The landslides of October 12, 1997 and January 16, 2026

On 12 October 1997, a landslide affecting an area of approximately 1.5 square kilometers struck the municipality of Niscemi (Caltanissetta), causing damage to several infrastructure facilities and part of the historic town center, particularly in the Sante Croci neighborhood, where numerous public and private buildings were destroyed or declared uninhabitable.

On October 14, 1997, the Prime Minister declared a state of emergency until December 31, 1998. Subsequently, with Order No. 2703/1997, the Regional Councilor responsible for civil protection was appointed as Commissioner tasked with implementing emergency measures. The order allocated an initial amount of resources equal to 8.5 billion lire (corresponding, at current values, to approximately 7 million euros), drawing on funds already earmarked for hydrogeological instability interventions (Decree-Law No. 393/1996 and Order No. 2621/1997 on the allocation of resources) and for water emergencies (Order No. 2428/1996). Pursuant to Order No. 2703/1997, these resources were to be used for urgent interventions identified on the basis of a plan to be prepared within 30 days and submitted to the Department for approval. 

The order also provided for the establishment of a technical–scientific commission, chaired by Prof. Letterio Villari, tasked with analyzing the ongoing instability, preparing the project for securing the landslide, and providing technical support in defining and implementing the intervention plan.

With subsequent Orders (2720/1997, 2731/1998, 2862/1998, 2970/1999, 3022/1999, 3046/2000, 3095/2000, 3104/2001, 3175/2002, 3272/2003, 3511/2006, 3675/2008, 3788/2009), additional measures were introduced to amend the timeframes and financial thresholds for the granting of compensation, to regulate reconstruction funding, and to allocate further financial resources.

Following the worsening of the critical situation on one of the slopes on which the inhabited center is located, a new state of emergency was declared by Decree of the Prime Minister on October 5, 2005, and by Order of the Prime Minister No. 3511/2006, the Regional Minister for the Presidency of the Sicilian Region with responsibility for civil protection was appointed as Commissioner, absorbing the remaining resources from Order No. 3272/2003 (approximately 1.2 million euros already returned to the Civil Protection Fund) into a special account to be established. Approximately 11.9 million euros from the resources allocated by Order No. 2621/1997 were credited to the same account. Order No. 3511/2006 also provided for the establishment, within the Civil Protection Department, of a Committee for the transition from emergency to ordinary administration, entrusted with examining, on a quarterly basis, the documentation submitted by the Commissioner concerning the progress of the interventions.

Finally, Order No. 3675/2008 (Urgent civil protection measures) recalled in the preamble, referred, among other emergencies, to the Order of the President of the Council of Ministers No. 3511/2006, concerning the worsening of the landslide affecting Niscemi, and, in Article 15, provided for the transfer of the available funds from special account No. 3212 to the Sicilian Region – Regional Civil Protection Department, to be allocated to a specific budget item in the regional budget for the same purposes. The order also provided for the transmission, by the Regional Department, of a final report on the activities carried out. With regard to the event in question, the remaining resources thus transferred to the regional budget amounted to €10,984,984.71.

As far as currently known, the following two critical issues remained unresolved with regard to the emergency event under examination, as briefly outlined below:

1. Plan for the demolition and relocation of buildings located within the area affected by the event (funded in the amount of €1,220,000.00, compared with an estimated requirement of €6,000,000.00);
2. Landslide consolidation works in Niscemi (funded in the amount of €11,878,508.68).

With Order of the President of the Council of Ministers No. 3788/2009, pursuant to Article 5, paragraph 3, of Law No. 225/1992, the Regional Civil Protection Department, through the Mayor of Niscemi, was tasked with demolishing the buildings located within the landslide area and within the 50-meter buffer-zone established by the Technical-Scientific Commission, and with granting compensation to the owners of those buildings that were compliant with the urban planning and building regulations in force at the time of the landslide.

To cover the necessary costs, the order indicated the use of the resources provided for in the aforementioned Order of the Prime Minister No. 3511/2006, which would become available upon completion of the landslide consolidation works, as well as additional unspecified resources to be provided by the State and the Region. 

In a note dated October 10, 2014, addressed to the Prime Minister, the Regional President, and the Heads of the National and Regional Civil Protection Departments, registered under DPC no. 54395 on October 23, 2014, the then-Mayor of the municipality of Niscemi, in addition to reconstructing what happened and what was done in the immediate aftermath of the event, highlighted above all critical issues still unresolved, with particular reference to the issue of damaged buildings.  

In accordance with Order of the Prime Minister no. 3788/2009, a plan was established for the complete demolition of buildings within the 50-meter buffer zone known as the “yellow zone,” which included the demolition of buildings, compensation for the owners, and the acquisition of 96 properties by the Municipality of Niscemi in three distinct phases for a total amount of approximately six million euros:

• Phase 1 (25 properties)
• Phase 2 (44 properties)
• Phase 3 (27 properties)

At the date of the note, only the first phase (25 properties) had been completed, for which the beneficiary owners were awaiting payment of the remaining 30%, in addition to the 70% already received as compensation. The note did not further explain why the other two phases had not been started, referring only to the 30% balance, which had to be added to the amount needed for the second and third phases, which clearly lacked financial coverage. Legal and procedural clarifications were requested on how to acquire the land on which the damaged buildings stood, as well as the urgent convening of a technical committee to find a solution.

With note no. 7423 of February 11, 2015, the National Department responded to the aforementioned note, informing the Municipality of Niscemi and the Regional Civil Protection Department that, in view of the resources and powers already provided for the critical situation in question, any remaining issues, more than 17 years after the events, should be planned and implemented by and at the expense of the competent bodies and administrations under ordinary procedure. The same note requested updates on the status of implementation of the landslide consolidation works, which therefore fall outside the scope of the National Department's responsibility.

Despite the response and clear guidance provided by the National Department in its note of February 11, 2015, the same request by the then-Mayor of Niscemi was resubmitted, although in a much shorter version, on the 20th anniversary of the landslide in a note dated October 12, 2017, addressed to the National and Regional Departments, the competent Regional Council, and the Prefecture of Caltanissetta. The contents of the note dated October 10, 2014, were then resubmitted on October 12, 2023, and most recently on February 18, 2025, to the same recipients, with the sole addition, in the latter case,, of the Minister for Civil Protection and Maritime Policies.

The notes sent periodically by the then-Mayor of Niscemi make no mention of the ongoing existence of conditions posing an imminent risk to public and private safety.  

Following the note dated February 18, 2025, a memo was sent to the Minister for Civil Protection and Maritime Policies, prot. no. 18916 of 16/04/2025, in which this Department, within the limits of its powers, proposed to promote direct dialogue between the Municipality of Niscemi and the Regional Civil Protection Department by convening a dedicated meeting, the results of which were subsequently forwarded to the competent administrations.

By order no. 2703/1997, the aforementioned technical-scientific commission (CTS) was tasked, among other things, with drafting the final intervention project for the landslide to secure the town center and infrastructure.

The project developed by the CTS was submitted to the Technical Administrative Committee (CTA) provided for by order no. 2621/1997, which endorsed the overall approach and invited the CTS to proceed with the drafting of the executive project using the resources of the same order, which were reallocated for implementation in relation to the Niscemi disaster. Following the expiration and non-renewal of the CTA as of 31 December 2002, the National Civil Protection Department assumed its role and reviewed the executive project submitted by the Commissioner, the Prefect of Caltanissetta. Following the technical discussions and the submission of supplementary documentation, the project was finally deemed acceptable, subject to minor amendments, by note of the Civil Protection Department, Protocol No. 23168 of 03/05/2005, which also invited the Commissioner to convene a conference of services.

The approved project included the following interventions:

• Construction of a tunnel from the Benefizio stream to the Vallo Pozzo stream;
• Hydraulic regulation works along the Benefizio stream;
• Temporary diversion of wastewater from the disused treatment plant and hydraulic stabilization of the downstream channel.

By Order No. 3511/2006, the construction of defensive works for the Benefizio Stream was authorized in the section immediately downstream of the town of Niscemi, utilizing the resources already allocated by Order No. 2621/1997. By the same order, the Regional Minister for the Presidency of the Sicilian Region with responsibility for civil protection was appointed as Commissioner, replacing the Prefect of Caltanissetta. The Commissioner, by Provision No. 2 of 28/04/2006, identified the Regional Civil Protection Department as the Commissarial Office and its Director General as the implementing entity.

In this regard, with reference to order no. 3511/2006, it should be noted that the Head of the Civil Protection Department, in a note dated March 20, 2007, sent to the President of the Sicilian Region and the Regional Civil Protection Department, noting the failed initiation of the necessary interventions to overcome the emergency in question, as well as the lack of information regarding the activities carried out and planned to address the issue, and urged the entities in question to proceed quickly with the assignment of the works in view of the imminent expiry of the state of emergency and the worsening stability conditions of the slope on which part of the town is located.

With regard to the implementation phase, following approval of the project, the following summary is provided:

• On March 28, 2007, the executive project for the landslide consolidation intervention was approved by commissioner’s order;
• On May 18, 2009, the works entitled “Interventions for the consolidation of the Niscemi landslide” were entrusted to the ATI (Temporary Association of Companies) with COMER Costruzione Meridionali S.p.A. as the agent; 
• On November 15, 2010, the contract was terminated due to serious breaches and delays, which the company contested by requesting the opening of technical discussions; 
• On April 8, 2013, a settlement agreement was signed, providing for changes to the work to be carried out and other contractual terms, with the immediate resumption of work and a reduction in the contractual amount; 
• On May 24, 2016, the termination of the contract was confirmed due to the company's failure to fulfill its obligations under the settlement agreement of April 8, 2013.

 In a note sent on March 15, 2016, to the Head of Department and the Regional Director regarding the status of the consolidation works, registered on the same date under protocol number DPC no. 13969, the then-Mayor of the municipality of Niscemi, given the importance of the issue and the failure to start the works, requested action to activate the necessary procedures for the urgent execution of the intervention. The note was acknowledged by the General Directorate of the Regional Civil Protection Department, which, in informing the Mayor of the termination of the contract with the contractor due to non-performance and the immediate activation of a new procedure for the definition and award of the works, confirmed the exclusive competence of the municipal administration for the ordinary maintenance and safety of the territory.

In response to the letter from the Mayor of Niscemi, the Civil Protection Department, in its letter ref. no. 18848 dated 13/04/2016, urged the prompt start of the landslide consolidation work and requested the Regional Department to send the periodic report on the activities planned and implemented and the accounting of the amounts used, reiterating the request for information already made in the aforementioned note no. 7423 of 11/02/2015.

With note ref. 13139/S10/DRPC Sicilia dated 29/03/2023, registered under ref. no. 16001, the Regional Civil Protection Department, following inspections carried out in October 2022, announced that the studies carried out in 2007 were no longer compatible with the state of the sites and that the results regarding the feasibility and effectiveness of the remediation measures provided for in the approved executive project had been negative, especially with regard to the diversion of white water from the Benefizio stream to the Valle di Pozzo stream, noting the need for further surveys and geognostic investigations, preparatory to the design and implementation of risk mitigation measures, considering the available data to be insufficient from a hydrogeological, stratigraphic, and geotechnical point of view. Finally, the Regional Civil Protection Department proposed the partial implementation of the original project, limiting it to risk mitigation measures only, as provided for in the CTS report, and excluding the works related to the diversion of rainwater from the Benefizio stream to the Valle di Pozzo stream.

To cover the costs of the revised project, they proposed using the remaining available resources and seeking additional funding. No timeline for implementation was provided, nor was an estimate of the total requirements.

Based on the above, following up on the Mayor's note dated February 18, 2025, the National Department scheduled a videoconference meeting with note no. 21468 dated May 6, 2025, which was held on May 9, 2025, with the Mayor of Niscemi and the Regional Civil Protection Department.

During the meeting, a discrepancy was identified between the status of implementation of the building demolition plan outlined in the Mayor's note dated February 18, 2025, and what had actually been accomplished. In fact, according to the Mayor, demolition and relocation works had already been carried out, although only partially, on the buildings included in phase 2. However, no accurate estimate was provided of the remaining works needed to complete the project. According to local authority representatives at the meeting, although the part of the SS. Croci neighborhood affected by the 1997 landslide had been completely cleared and, therefore, there were no particular imminent risks to people's safety, the landslide front was still active and could have affected other houses in different neighborhoods, considering that the landslide affected the hill where the southern part of the town of Niscemi is located.

As regards the slope safety measures, however, the Regional Department announced that, although at the beginning of 2023 it was recognized that the original measures needed to be revised, the procedure for awarding the project design contract had already begun and was in the process of being awarded on the basis of the prepared policy document (DIP). Specifically, the project involved the regulation of the waters of the Benefizio stream, which flows along the landslide front. Although not a definitive solution, given the depth of the landslide, this project would have reduced the level of risk associated with the current instability. According to reports, the landslide also affected provincial road 10, an important road linking the town of Niscemi to the national road network towards Catania. On the other hand, the diversion of sewage was the responsibility of the municipality and was closely linked to the construction of the new wastewater treatment plant. The Director General of the Regional Department agreed to identify any resources necessary to complete the demolition plan, while reiterating the need for the municipality to draw up a detailed assessment of its remaining requirements.

During the meeting, the National Department confirmed that, given the time elapsed since the emergency, the issue could be resolved using only ordinary procedures, while offering technical and administrative support if needed.

The outcomes of this meeting were summarized in the memo dated June 25, 2025, which led to memo no. 32386 dated July 3, 2025, addressed to the Municipality of Niscemi and the Regional Civil Protection Department, and memo no. 32384 of the same date addressed to the Minister for Civil Protection and Maritime Policies.

Following the meeting, the Mayor of Niscemi provided, in note no. 38851 dated August 8, 2025, an estimate of the remaining requirements necessary to complete the demolition plan, as well as a graphical representation of the buildings demolished and yet to be demolished.

In a subsequent note, ref. no. 58033 dated 28/11/2025, the Municipality of Niscemi notified the Regional Civil Protection Department of the expenditure programme for proceeding with the demolition plan, requesting accreditation of funds for the year 2025.

In the early hours of January 16, 2026, a major landslide occurred near the town of Niscemi; initial surveys by the Regional Civil Protection Department revealed that the landslide affected the area behind the western part of the town, with a crown width of 1.5 km.

At around 12:30 p.m. on January 25, the 1997 landslide front also reactivated, close to the southern part of the town, with a crown width of more than 2 km.

The unstable front stretches for a total of about 4.7 km along the town's edge, affecting the Sante Croci-Belvedere area, the Benefizio stream area, and the slopes between the SP10 and SP12 roads. The detachment slopes have an average height of between 25 and 30 m, with maximum values exceeding 50 m.

On January 26, 2026, immediately after the assessment meeting held at the Crisis Unit and chaired by the Head of Department, the transition to Configuration S2 status was ordered and the University of Florence was also activated as a Competence Center.

The event was included in the state of emergency declared on January 26, 2026, and included in the Order of the Civil Protection DepartmenT, currently in the process of adoption.

Following the recent reactivation of the landslide, the previous statements regarding the two remaining interventions related to the 1997 emergency are no longer applicable Both issues highlighted require a radical reassessment in light of the new state of emergency.

This will inevitably result in residual savings from the resources allocated to overcome the 1997 emergency, which are no longer functional to their original purpose.