Tornado in Sicily: double waterspout hits Marsala, school badly damaged

A rare weather phenomenon caused severe damage in western Sicily on Friday (9 October). At around 10 a.m. local time, a double waterspout formed off the coast near Marsala in the province of Trapani, came ashore and swept across Marsala and neighbouring Petrosino as a tornado. The regional civil protection agency reported "widespread and serious material damage" along Via Nazionale, the SS115 state road and the surrounding area. Buildings were damaged, trees and power poles were brought down and parked cars were overturned.

The worst hit was the Alcide De Gasperi school complex in Marsala's Terrenove district. According to the head teacher, speaking to the news agency ANSA, 273 children were inside the building and six suffered minor injuries; the civil protection agency had initially reported around 300 pupils evacuated and eight minor injuries. Firefighters and the school head reported torn-out window and door frames, broken glass and scattered teaching materials. According to the health authority ASP Trapani, nine people were treated for minor cuts and abrasions at the Paolo Borsellino hospital in Marsala – four children and five adults. In Petrosino, a car was thrown into a ravine and its two occupants were taken to hospital. Mayor Giacomo Anastasi reported four minor injuries and several badly damaged houses; the municipality is arranging temporary accommodation. No deaths were mentioned in the initial reports.

Five fire brigade teams from the province of Trapani, reinforced by crews from Palermo and Agrigento, were deployed; Mazara del Vallo was also affected. Rail operator RFI suspended services between Trapani and Castelvetrano in the morning, and technicians were still working on the line into the afternoon. The town of Mazara del Vallo urged people to follow only official communications after false statements attributed to local officials circulated online.