Evacuation; demolition of rock.




Initials PBS/EURO-TELE(RAI)/BHH/EEH



Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: An entire Italian village was yesterday (Thursday) evacuated while engineers blew up a dangerous rock formation hanging over the town. The village, Vecchianno, is in the province of Pisa.

The rock was demolised on the orders of Vecchianno's municipal authorities.

Many forms of transport were pressed into service to take the disabled and old to safety. School teachers and parents worked together in leading children to safety away from the threatening rock. Patients were removed from the local hospital while engineers laid explosive charges at the foot of the rock.

Hundreds of tons of rock were brought down in the explosions, but the danger of the ridge falling on the village was permanently removed.