Italy Declares Emergency as Storm Damage Tops €1.5 Billion

Italy’s government declared a state of emergency, unlocking €100 million in funds to help repair damage after a sea storm battered parts of the country’s south.

Sicily was hit particularly hard, with regional Governor Renato Schifani estimating damages of more than €1.5 billion ($1.8 billion), Ansa newswire reported. The storm, dubbed Cyclone Harry, affected Sicily’s tourism and hotel sectors, particularly around the resort town of Taormina.

Assessed losses in Sicily continue to rise as additional damages emerge, Ansa said.

Italy’s Civil Protection Minister, Nello Musumeci, said the emergency funds will be used to finance an initial response. Harry unleashed storm surges across southern Italy last week, with high winds and flooding along Sicily’s Ionian coast damaging waterfronts and infrastructure.

Giant waves, torrential rain and prolonged rough seas hit parts of Sicily, Calabria and Sardinia, with entire promenades wiped out in some coastal towns.

Photograph: The waterfront following the passage of Cyclone Harry in Catanzaro, Italy, on Jan. 21, 2026: photo credit: Valeria Ferraro/Anadolu/Getty Images

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Topics Windstorm