Leonessa rockfall kills woman in funeral procession

A fatal rockfall occurred on Saturday, September 12, along the SR521 regional road between Morro Reatino and Leonessa in the Rieti province. A large boulder detached from a cliffside and struck a vehicle traveling within a funeral procession.

The victim has been identified as 66-year-old Maria Antonietta D’Andrea, a resident of Acilia and business owner in Ostia. She was traveling with her family to attend her mother's funeral in Coronella, a hamlet of Cascia, when the rock smashed through the car's roof.

The impact also affected other vehicles in the procession, resulting in at least seven injuries. Emergency responders, including the 118 medical service, firefighters, and Carabinieri from Labro and Contigliano, attended the scene. While several people were transported to the hospital for treatment, none were reported to be in critical condition. Authorities have closed the road to allow for debris removal and investigations into the cause of the landslide.