The fire department rushed to free trapped residents of the alpine village of Borca di Cadore in Italy.
© Vigili del Fuoco XThe fire department rushed to free trapped residents of the alpine village of Borca di Cadore in Italy.
A massive landslide unleashed by violent overnight storms tore through the alpine village of Borca di Cadore in Italy's Veneto region early Monday, burying homes and vehicles under tons of mud, rock, and debris. Located just south of Cortina d'Ampezzo in the Dolomites, the village was hit shortly after midnight during a thunderstorm that dumped heavy rainfall across the region.

Around 20 houses were damaged, with at least ten residents trapped in their homes as boulders and mud blocked entrances. Ground floors were flooded, vehicles were destroyed, and power outages further complicated rescue efforts. Emergency crews, including firefighters and civil protection, worked through the night to evacuate families and clear blocked roads. The main route to Cortina, the SS51 Alemagna state road, was closed for hours and remains partially obstructed.


Tons of rock and debris spilled down the mountain and trapped 10 people inside their homes.
© Roberto PadrinTons of rock and debris spilled down the mountain and trapped 10 people inside their homes.
Regional President Luca Zaia declared a state of emergency. Roberto Padrin, President of the Belluno Provice, credited years of investment that saw the installation of catch basins and early warning systems with the prevention of any loss of live. In 2009, the same village had been struck by a similar landslide that killed a mother and her son.

This is the second major landslide in the Belluno area in just days. Over the weekend, a huge debris flow broke loose from the Marcora summit between San Vito di Cadore and Cortina, coating the state road in dust and forcing more closures.

The devastation in northern Italy comes just weeks after a catastrophic landslide leveled the village of Blatten in Switzerland, after a glacial collapse.

Tons of rocks and dirt spilled through the village.
© Dolomites UNESCOTons of rocks and dirt spilled through the village.