Images of Niscemi, a town in Sicily (Italy) that was evacuated after it began to crumble under the impact of Hurricane Harry, have been seen around the world.

“The cyclone devastated the entire east coast, from Messina to Syracuse, causing flooding, extreme storm surges, extensive damage to infrastructure and commercial activities, and leaving many families in dire straits”, says a letter sent by the Italian Evangelical Alliance (AEI) in Sicily on 12 February.

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Specifically in Niscemi, where landslides have caused vehicles and part of the land to fall into the void, as well as the collapse of some homes, 1,000 people have been evacuated. There, the evangelical association Salvati per Servire (Saved to Serve), accredited by the Civil Protection Agency, “intervened promptly on site and is providing clearance of homes and recovery of essential goods, distribution of 40-50 meals a day”.

Salvati per Servire’s aim is also “the launch of a project to provide tensile structures and residential containers, currently under review by the competent authorities”, says the AEI.

Torre Archirafi, Etna...

Meanwhile, in the province of Messina, it has been reported that three or more evangelical families are in an emergency situation, while “in Torre Archirafi (CT), the place of worship of the Pentecostal Christian Congregation has been declared unfit for use”.

Critical situations were also reported in the Etna area, where the Gioventù in Missione (Youth With A Mission) ministry in Piedimonte Etneo suffered structural damage and food losses due to the lack of electricity.

Although no direct damage to members was reported, a general state of precariousness remains in the municipalities of Catania, Syracuse, Modica and Giardini Naxos.

Fundraising for coordinated action on the ground

The Sicily district and the entire AEI have expressed their “closeness and solidarity” with all the families who have suffered the effects of the storms on the island, and “thanked the evangelical communities and volunteer organisations working in the field”.

At the same time, they said they are ready to “coordinate support among churches, avoiding the dispersion of forces and promoting targeted and effective interventions carried out in cooperation with evangelical missions associated with the AEI”.

Among the first actions being planned are the provision of food supplies and pastoral, health and psychological support to families in vulnerable situations.

A dialogue has also been opened with the local Civil Protection Agency, offering the district headquarters as a possible operational coordination centre.

With the desire that “Christian witness may be a sign of hope in the most affected areas”, the Italian Evangelical Alliance launched a fundraising campaign. The money raised will be sent to “evangelical organisations already active in the area”, they explained.

Donations can be made by bank transfer to:

Alleanza Evangelica Italiana

Banco Posta

BIC Swift Code: BPPIITRRXXX

Account: IBAN IT 64 N 07601 03200 000046728002

Payment concept: “PRO-SICILIA”

The AEI said it will publicly account for the amount received and transferred to the identified channels.

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