2009 Messina floods and mudslides

The 2009 Messina floods and mudslides occurred in <a href="/facts/Sicily/E6fug03z">Sicily</a> on the night of 1–2 October, mainly along the <a href="/facts/Ionian_Sea/zLbve4Pl">Ionian coast</a> in the <a href="/facts/Province_of_Messina/DdlU3GPQ">Province of Messina</a>. They also affected other parts of northeastern Sicily and killed a total of at least 31 people, some of whom were swept out to sea. More than 400 people were left homeless, as many houses collapsed.
The places which suffered the most damage were <a href="/facts/Giampilieri_Superiore/MfEctFr3">Giampilieri Superiore</a>, a small <a href="/facts/Frazione/pcWQKjGS">frazione</a> 10 km (6 miles) south of the city of <a href="/facts/Messina/sHEPHWSS">Messina</a>, which was buried in mud; the <a href="/facts/Comune/Bxsc8IYY">comune</a> of <a href="/facts/Scaletta_Zanclea/dBQHwAbw">Scaletta Zanclea</a> and the two frazione of <a href="/facts/Altolia/RnadjW1S">Altolia</a>, <a href="/facts/Briga_Superiore/hX38uGFP">Briga Superiore</a>.
To avoid casualties, when the Messina region received heavy rains in February 2010, the government evacuated one-third of the population most at risk. A mudslide caused property damage, but no casualties.

2009 Messina floods and mudslides open-in-new

2009 Messina floods and mudslides