The hilltop town of Niscemi in Sicily is facing a worsening natural disaster after heavy rainfall triggered landslides that eroded large parts of residential areas, local authorities said.

Field reports indicated that houses, roads and entire neighborhoods have begun sliding downhill, placing hundreds of buildings at risk of imminent collapse.

Niscemi Mayor Massimiliano Conti described the situation as “dramatic,” saying conditions were deteriorating as new cracks and further ground collapses continued to be recorded.

Italy’s civil protection agency said it had ordered the evacuation of all residents within a four-kilometer radius of the landslide site, which stretches for about 2.5 miles, as a precautionary measure.