Severe waterspouts strike western Sicily, injuring dozens and damaging school

Two tornadoes struck the coastal town of Marsala in western Sicily on Friday, injuring dozens of people and causing extensive damage to buildings and vehicles.

The storm approached from the Mediterranean Sea, hitting Marsala and Petrosino. The Guardian reported that at least 11 people were taken to hospital after being struck by flying debris and shattered glass, including a 70-year-old man in critical condition with several fractures. In Petrosino, two people were injured when their car was swept into a ravine, according to Euronews.

One of the worst-hit buildings was the Terrenove campus of the Alcide De Gasperi school in Marsala. The headteacher described the facility as destroyed, and The Guardian noted that drone footage of the aftermath showed shattered windows and overturned furniture. While 273 pupils were inside at the time, staff successfully evacuated all of them; six children reportedly suffered minor cuts and abrasions.

Outlets provided varying details on the total number of casualties. Euronews initially reported that nine people, including four children, were treated at a Marsala hospital before raising the total to 11. The Guardian reported that dozens were injured overall. Al Jazeera added that the destruction forced evacuations across both Marsala and Petrosino as emergency teams assessed damage to homes and farmland.

Background

The weather system developed amid intense heat over North Africa and unusually warm Mediterranean waters. Scientists have noted that rising sea temperatures provide additional energy for such storms, similar to the weather event that sank the superyacht Bayesian off the Sicilian coast in August 2024.