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Italy works on mudslide evacuation plan

May 12, 1998
Web posted at: 10:47 a.m. EDT (1447 GMT)

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SARNO, Italy (CNN) -- With rain in the forecast, civil defense officials went to work Tuesday on an evacuation plan for a mountainous region of southern Italy where at least 135 people died last week in mudslides.

More than 3,000 rescue workers, meanwhile, continued digging through layers of sun-baked mud and debris in search of the about 150 people still missing.

In other developments Tuesday:

• An investigation was opened to establish the extent to which local government was responsible for the deaths and damage. The inquiry, expected to last several months, also will look into the haphazard housing built on mountain slopes in areas of high risk and the efficiency of the rescue operations.

• A helicopter with an ultra-sensitive camera was set to fly over Mount Sarno photographing the mudslide area. The pictures will be used by geologists to estimate where any new danger lies.

Scientists are working on an early-warning system using sensors placed along the mountain's slopes. They are also studying at ways to divert future slides before they reach any of the six towns at Mount Sarno's base.

Civil defense spokesman Paolo Ferneti said that even if there had been an evacuation plan, it might not have saved many lives because the slides were so "sudden and unexpected."

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A L S O :

Weather forecast for Naples

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• The president of Italy's Campania region said he had drawn up a plan for the gradual transfer of residents living in 230 towns at risk of mudslides and landslides.

• In the town of Quindici, some residents attempted to restart their daily life but said it was futile. "We tried to reopen our shop ... in an attempt to start life again," said a shopkeeper.

  "But it's no use, nobody's around.... This town is dead."

• A team of psychiatrists was in the area counseling survivors.

The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.

Related stories:

• Italy observes day of mourning for mudslide victims - May 11, 1998
• Thousands gather to mourn Italy mudslide victims - May 10, 1998
• Man survives 3 days buried alive in mudslide - May 9, 1998
• Italian mudslide survivor found buried up to his neck - May 8, 1998

Related sites:

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• Italy on the Net
• DisasterRelief
• Windows On Italy

External sites are not endorsed by CNN Interactive.

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