Illegal building under fire after Ischia landslide

STORY: Cleanups began on the Italian island of Ischia on Monday (November 28), days after a deadly landslide crashed down over houses and roads.

In the town of Casamicciola Terme residents joined emergency service workers on the streets, sweeping away the destruction.

At least eight people died, including a newborn baby and two young children, in Saturday’s landslide.

It came following torrential rain which triggered a wave of mud, debris and stones to break away from the island’s highest mountain.

As the cleanup on Ischia begins, questions are being raised.

Especially concerning the rampant unauthorized construction that the volcanic island is known for.

Statistics show Ischia, which sits in an earthquake zone, has a large number of houses that have been illegally built.

A local geologist told Reuters that many of these have been built without consideration of the geological conditions.

Which he says makes them vulnerable to natural disasters.

Since 1985, some 28,000 requests have been submitted to participate in amnesties for houses that have been built illegally on the island, according to data from the Legambiente environmental group.

The group says that granting amnesties for illegal construction had put people at risk.

But they did not give data on how many of those amnesties were approved.

This resident said the situation was “discouraging,” adding that locals should be better protected.

The Casamicciola town bureau in charge of buildings could not immediately be reached for comment.

In a statement Italy’s environment and energy minister said he would seize illegal buildings to investigate them for safety.

Adding that he would only grant pardons for small violations.

As the political row over granting amnesties gathers pace, Italy's Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni on Sunday earmarked an initial aid package of over $2 million for Ischia.

As well as suspending tax payments for the island's residents until the end of the year.