Ischia landslide death toll rises to eight

(ANSA) - CASAMICCIOLA TERME, NOV 28 - The death toll from Saturday's landslide on the Gulf of Naples island of Ischia rose to eight on Monday when the body of another victim, a 15-year-old boy, was recovered, as rescue workers continued the search for four people who are missing.
    The eighth victim was named as Michele Monti.
    The bodies of his younger siblings, Francesco and Maria Teresa, were found on Sunday and his parents, Gianluca Monti and Valentina Castagna, are among the people who are unaccounted for.
    A newborn baby is also among the confirmed victims of the disaster.
    Five people are injured and 230 are homeless after a massive avalanche of mud and debris hit the town of Casamicciola Terme following intense rain.
    On Sunday Premier Giorgia Meloni's cabinet declared a state of emergency on the island and approved an initial allocation of two million euros in funding to address the aftermath of the landslide.
    Ischia's schools will remain closed on Monday and Tuesday.
    The disaster has raised questions about buildings being constructed in areas that are at a high risk of flooding and landslides, often without the required permits.
    This problem of hydrogeological risks regards many parts of Italy, not just Ischia, which is popular with tourists thanks to its natural beauty and thermal bath.
    Experts say the problem is likely to be made worse by the climate crisis, which is causing extreme weather events such as powerful storms and flash floods to be more intense and more frequent.
    Also under fire is an amnesty issued in 2018 by the government of then premier Giuseppe Conte, now leader of the populist 5-Star Movement (M5S), which has been accused of effectively allowing residents to rebuild illegal and unsafe homes.
    Earlier this year 11 people were killed by flash floods in the central region of Marche after torrential rain. (ANSA).