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Sicily shivers at first snowfall of 2016

The Local Italy
The Local Italy - [email protected]
Sicily shivers at first snowfall of 2016
Time for some skiing in Sicily? Photo: Marco Triolo

Sicily might be famous for sun and sandy beaches, but on Monday morning residents awoke to the sight of the island covered in snow.

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Snow fell on Sunday night, leaving Mount Etna and surrounding towns covered in the white stuff, along with several other towns and villages of altitudes around 600 metres.

While snow on Mount Etna and its environs isn't unusual, residents of the Aeolian Islands, including the volcanic island of Stromboli, and towns near the Madonie mountain range, also experienced deep snowfall, with many of them taking to Twitter and using the hashtag '#nevesicilia' (snow Sicily) to share their photos.

Ferry services to the islands have been suspended, with a 35-year-old who went into labour on the island of Lipari on Saturday night having to be flown by helicopter to a hospital in the Sicilian city of Milazzo, Ansa reported.

La Stampa reported that schools were closed in several Sicilian towns, and warned of the dangers of icy roads - particularly in more isolated communities - as temperatures dropped below zero degrees.

 

There has also been heavy snow in Abruzzo and Molise over the past few days, as well as Campania and areas along the coast of Puglia

Has it been snowing where you are in Italy? Tweet your pictures to us at @TheLocalItaly.

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