Cyclone Harry paralyzes Italy. 7-meter waves, wind 120 km/h and evacuations

The Embassy of the Republic of Poland in Italy appealed on Tuesday to Polish citizens to be careful and follow the recommendations of local authorities in Sicily in connection with the extremely difficult weather conditions caused by the so-called Cyclone Harry. This island, as well as Sardinia and Calabria, is under the highest alert level.

In a post on the X platform, the Polish embassy in Rome warned about the effects of downpours, strong winds and rough seas. “Strong storms with waves up to 7 meters high are expected on the coast,” she noted.

📢⚠️ URGENT: Cyclone #Harry in the region #Sicily. Heavy rains, strong winds and rough seas.
Follow the instructions of local authorities. @PolakZaGranica
Detailed information👇 pic.twitter.com/B57EBAY60X

— Ambasciata di Polonia a Roma (@PLinItalia) January 20, 2026

Then, the Polish diplomatic mission announced the suspension of ferry connections with smaller islands, the paralysis of rail traffic in Sicily, and the evacuation of residents and tourists in many seaside towns. Attention was also paid to road traffic hazards.

“Be extremely careful and strictly follow the instructions of local authorities and Civil Defense. If it is not necessary, avoid moving, especially near the coast, streams and areas at risk of flooding,” the embassy appealed. It recommended that in the event of an emergency, contact local crisis operational centers established in many municipalities.

“There has never been such a difficult situation before.” The element devastates Sicily and Sardinia

The wave of bad weather also caused serious difficulties in Sardinia and Calabria in southern Italy. Winds reach speeds of up to 120 km/h and over 300 mm of rain has fallen in the last 48 hours. In many towns, schools, offices, parks and sports facilities were closed.

The Italian Civil Defense has introduced the highest level of weather alert for three regions, which is also expected to remain in force on Wednesday.

In Sardinia and Sicily, waves reach several meters high and burst onto beaches and near residential houses. Residents of endangered areas were evacuated.

Serious difficulties were reported at the airport in Palermo, where a plane flying from Nuremberg was unable to land and was redirected to Rome. Other flights were canceled or transferred to other airports on the island.

The mayor of Catania, Enrico Trantino, said that “there has never been such a difficult situation before.”

In Sardinia, ferry traffic in the ports of Cagliari and Olbia has been stopped. Experts estimate that the wave of bad weather that hit this island has not occurred there on such a scale for many years.

Wind and heavy rain are also complicating traffic in Calabria.

Sylwia Wysocka from Rome (PAP)

sw/zm/