Earthquake in Ischia: The Rescue of Little Mattias and Hope for Ciro – A Chronicle of a Day Marked by Fear and Solidarity

This morning, at 11:23 AM, the ground in Ischia shook once more. A tremor of magnitude 2.6, with its epicenter in Casamicciola, was felt by absolutely everyone: those at the café, people out grocery shopping, and folks on the beach enjoying the sun. Instantly, hearts were in their throats, because in these parts, an earthquake is no stranger. But this time, beyond the fear, there was also a powerful wave of solidarity and even a few miracles.

The video that spread across 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 department pulling him from a pile of debris—dirty with dust, but alive. You can see the exact moment a small hand emerges from the wreckage and a red helmet grabs hold of it. The footage of little Mattias's rescue circulated through every family chat and WhatsApp group on the island. "I was crying in front of the screen," a neighbor told me, "because in that child, I saw my own nephew." Civil protection was on the scene immediately, coordinating the initial rescue operations with flawless precision. And thank goodness for that, because in moments like these, speed is everything.

Still digging: Everyone holds their breath for Ciro

But while Mattias's story ended with a hug and a thermal blanket, for another name, fate still hangs in the balance. Ciro is missing. The digging continues non-stop, shovel by shovel, under the sun and dust. The bulldozers work in silence, 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 updates from the civil protection agency speak of an intensive search, but time is a relentless enemy. Hope is the last thing to die, and here in Ischia, we know that all too well.

Casamicciola's lesson: between fear and resilience

Each tremor sends us years back, to those terrible days in 2017 and 1883. But this time, despite the panic, the emergency response machine worked. Here are a few aspects that struck all of us:

• The swift action of the Civil Protection: Within minutes, they set up command posts and began inspecting buildings.
• Neighborly solidarity: Doors flung open to offer a coffee or a place to sit for those whose homes were damaged.
• The anxiety for Ciro: The most searched name on Google today, the hope that he might be found alive, just like Mattias.

And as evening descends on Casamicciola, the streets are filled with people who don't want to go back inside. Better to stay outside, to talk, to look at the stars, and to pray that no more tremors come from the earth. The updates from the civil protection agency mention that buildings have been checked and there's no major damage, but the search for Ciro continues. And we remain here, phones in hand, ready to receive the news we are all waiting for: "Ciro has been found."

This is our Ischia, fragile and strong at the same time. A land that trembles, but one that never gives up.