27.01.2026 01:31
The Hurricane Harry, which formed in the Central Mediterranean and struck Italy last week, left severe destruction in the country's south and west. Following the hurricane, the government declared a state of emergency for 12 months in Sicily, Sardinia, and Calabria, announcing an initial allocation of 100 million euros in emergency funds.
The right-wing coalition government in Italy declared a state of emergency in three regions in the west and south of the country following the severe damage caused by Hurricane Harry, which became effective last week. The government initially allocated 100 million euros to address the damages.
During the Cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, the situation in the regions most affected by the hurricane, Sicily, Sardinia, and Calabria, was discussed. In a written statement from the Prime Minister's office, it was reported that, following the proposal of the Minister of Civil Defense and Maritime Policies Nello Musumeci, it was decided to declare a 12-month state of emergency due to extraordinary meteorological events affecting these regions starting from January 18.
TO BE DISTRIBUTED TO 3 REGIONS
The statement noted that Hurricane Harry caused significant damage, especially along the coastlines, adversely affecting economic and production activities as well as public and private property, infrastructure, and public services. It was reported that 100 million euros were allocated from the National Emergency Fund to be distributed equally among the three regions to initiate the recovery process after the hurricane.
DAMAGE MAY REACH 1.2 BILLION EUROS
After the Cabinet meeting, Minister Musumeci, speaking to the press, stated that the initial damage estimates from the regions were around 1.2 billion euros. Musumeci indicated that this figure could increase or decrease after the completion of damage assessment studies, emphasizing that the main support amount would be clarified after a detailed evaluation.
HARRY STRUCK THE MEDITERRANEAN
Last week, Hurricane Harry, which formed in the Central Mediterranean, also adversely affected the southern regions of Italy and Malta. The strong waves, particularly effective along the coastal areas, caused severe damage to roads, bridges, infrastructure, and buildings.