More than 90 percent of Italian municipalities are prone to landslides or other natural disasters, the head of the civil protection agency, Fabrizio Curcio, said in an interview with "Stampa", quoted by Reuters.

"There is a risk of floods, landslides and coastal erosion for 94 percent of municipalities," he said, adding that "all of Italy is at risk."

Curcio spoke after a rockslide devastated the Italian island of Ischia on Saturday, killing at least seven people.

Eight people died in a landslide on the Italian resort island of Ischia

He said Ischia was most at risk because many of the houses were built illegally, but stressed that other parts of Italy with fewer land-planning violations were also vulnerable. 

"It is difficult for us to make a ranking because the danger is very great. We need to strengthen structural prevention by improving activities such as strengthening river banks and beds, building expansion reservoirs and dams to drain the water," Curcio said in the interview. published today in Stampa.

According to him, in addition, adequate behavior of the people who must take into account the warnings of the meteorological services and the critical situations reported is also necessary.

Fabrizio Curcio visited the stricken island near Naples yesterday morning to inspect the extent of the disaster and said he found "a very complicated situation".

The flow of mud and debris hit the buildings and swept everything in its path to the sea.

A piece of Mount Epomeo has practically fallen.

Fire services, law enforcement agencies, mountain rescuers and many volunteers are working hard to search for the missing and provide assistance to the population.

floods

landslides

Italian municipalities