Death of family in Italian floods shines a light on illegal builds

Nine who died in Sicily may be latest of thousands of victims of unauthorised construction

The villa in the Sicilian town of Casteldaccia where a family of nine died during floods last Saturday could have been demolished two years ago.

The property was built too close to the Milicia River, in an area of high hydrological risk, but the owners appealed against a demolition order and it was never carried out.