Earthquake in Ischia: The Rescue of Little Mattias and Hope for Ciro – A Day of Fear and Community Spirit
This morning, at 11.23 am, the ground shook again in Ischia. A 2.6 magnitude tremor, with its epicentre in Casamicciola, was felt by absolutely everyone: those in cafés, people doing their shopping, folks on the beach enjoying the sun. Hearts were in mouths, because in these parts, an earthquake isn't an unfamiliar visitor. But this time, alongside the fear, there was also a tremendous wave of solidarity and a few small miracles.
The video that swept the island: Mattias pulled from the rubble
The first to be thrust into the spotlight was little Mattias. A video that went viral within hours shows the fire brigade pulling him from a pile of debris – dusty but alive. You see the precise moment a small hand emerges from the wreckage and a red helmet grabs hold of it. Footage of the rescue of little Mattias did the rounds of every family WhatsApp chat and island group. "I was in tears watching the screen," a neighbour told me, "because in that child, I saw my own nephew." The civil protection agency sprang into action immediately, coordinating the initial rescue operations with clockwork precision. And thank goodness, because in moments like these, speed is everything.
The dig continues: A nation holds its breath for Ciro
But while for Mattias, the story ended with a hug and a thermal blanket, for another name, fate hangs in the balance. Ciro is missing. The digging continues relentlessly, shovel by shovel, under the sun and through the dust. Excavators work in an eerie quiet, broken only by the voices of rescuers calling out his name. "Come on, Ciro, let us hear you," they shout. And those of us, huddled in our homes or watching from the streets, are holding our breath. The latest from the civil protection agency speaks of a frantic search, but time is the enemy. Hope is the last thing to die, and here in Ischia, we know that all too well.
Casamicciola's lesson: Between fear and rebuilding
Every tremor throws us back years, to those terrible days in 2017 and 1883. But this time, despite the fear, the rescue operation ran like clockwork. Here are a few things that have struck us all:
- The swift response of the Civil Protection: Within minutes, they had set up command posts and started inspecting buildings.
- Neighbourly solidarity: Doors flung open to offer a coffee or a place to sit to those whose homes were damaged.
- The anxiety for Ciro: The most searched-for name on Google today, the hope he might be found alive like Mattias.
And as evening descends on Casamicciola, the streets are filled with people unwilling to go back inside. Better to stay out, to talk, to watch the stars and pray that the earth doesn't deliver any more shocks. The updates from the civil protection speak of buildings checked and no major damage, but for Ciro, the search continues. And we remain here, phones in hand, ready for the news we're all waiting for: "Ciro has been found."
This is our Ischia, fragile and strong all at once. A land that trembles, but one that never gives up.