Italian firefighters find 12th victim of Nov. 26 landslide

After 11 days of digging, search teams recovered the final victim from the debris of an enormous landslide on the Italian resort island of Ischia, bringing the final death toll to 12

Italy Landslide (Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)

After 11 days of digging, search teams on Tuesday recovered the final victim from the debris of an enormous landslide on the Italian resort island of Ischia, bringing the final death toll to 12.

The Naples prefect identified the victim as 31-year-old Maria Teresa Arcamone, whose body was found in an area where much of the debris from the Nov. 26 landslide had accumulated.

The victims also included a family of five, with three children from ages 5-15, a couple with a 3-week-old son and another young couple.

Exceptional rainfall triggered a landslide above the Ischia port town of Casamicciola that buried victims under mud and debris. Some 30 buildings were inundated by mud and water, which amassed enough force to push cars and buses into the sea.

The disaster has raised questions about building standards and illegal construction on Ischia, but also along the entire Italian peninsula, as climate change triggers more exceptional storms in a territory that is susceptible to flooding, landslides and earthquakes.