Landslide smashes into wall at Italy's historic Pompeii site

Cesare Abbate

A landslide due to heavy rains is seen in the ancient site of Pompeii, Italy, Wednesday, Feb. 4, 2015. The ancient site of Pompeii has suffered a landslide due to heavy rains, causing a retaining wall and garden at the house of Severus to partially collapse. Officials on Wednesday said the area affected by the latest collapse falls within the Great Pompeii joint EU-Italian restoration project and had been already closed to the public. Pompeii, the ancient city encased in volcanic ash, has suffered numerous collapses in recent years, attracting widespread attention to Italys difficulties in maintaining its cultural treasures. Pompeii officials said fire fighters were assessing the ancient site to determine areas at particular risk for collapse in a bid to shore them up. (AP Photo/Cesare Abbate, Ansa) ITALY OUT

Cesare Abbate

A landslide due to heavy rains is seen in the ancient site of Pompeii, Italy, Wednesday, Feb. 4, 2015. The ancient site of Pompeii has suffered a landslide due to heavy rains, causing a retaining wall and garden at the house of Severus to partially collapse. Officials on Wednesday said the area affected by the latest collapse falls within the Great Pompeii joint EU-Italian restoration project and had been already closed to the public. Pompeii, the ancient city encased in volcanic ash, has suffered numerous collapses in recent years, attracting widespread attention to Italys difficulties in maintaining its cultural treasures. Pompeii officials said fire fighters were assessing the ancient site to determine areas at particular risk for collapse in a bid to shore them up. (AP Photo/Cesare Abbate, Ansa) ITALY OUT

Cesare Abbate

A landslide due to heavy rains is seen in the ancient site of Pompeii, Italy, Wednesday, Feb. 4, 2015. The ancient site of Pompeii has suffered a landslide due to heavy rains, causing a retaining wall and garden at the house of Severus to partially collapse. Officials on Wednesday said the area affected by the latest collapse falls within the Great Pompeii joint EU-Italian restoration project and had been already closed to the public. Pompeii, the ancient city encased in volcanic ash, has suffered numerous collapses in recent years, attracting widespread attention to Italys difficulties in maintaining its cultural treasures. Pompeii officials said fire fighters were assessing the ancient site to determine areas at particular risk for collapse in a bid to shore them up. (AP Photo/Cesare Abbate, Ansa) ITALY OUT

Posted: Wednesday, February 4, 2015 9:29 am

Landslide smashes into wall at Italy's historic Pompeii site Associated Press |

MILAN (AP) Heavy rains have provoked landslide at the ancient Italian site of Pompeii, partially collapsing a retaining wall and sending rubble into a garden at the house of Severus.

Italian officials on Wednesday said the affected area falls within the "Great Pompeii" joint EU-Italian restoration project and had been already closed to the public.

Read more here:
Landslide smashes into wall at Italy's historic Pompeii site