Famous Lovers’ Arch falls into sea during Valentine’s Day storm
Famous Lovers’ Arch collapses in ‘hard blow’ for tourism
- A renowned natural rock formation, the "Lovers' Arch," on Italy's Adriatic coast, dramatically collapsed on Valentine's Day following several days of severe weather.
- The arch, located near Melendugno in Puglia, was a distinctive part of the Sant'Andrea sea stacks and a cherished backdrop for tourist photographs and marriage proposals.
- Melendugno Mayor Maurizio Cisternino expressed dismay, calling the collapse "a very hard blow" for the area's vital tourism industry and attributing it to relentless heavy rain, powerful winds, and turbulent seas.
- Local officials have warned that other vulnerable sections of the coastline could now be at risk due to coastal erosion, with cracks visible along the cliffs.
- The incident is part of a wider pattern of extreme weather in southern Italy, which has caused over a billion euros in damage this year, including landslides and damage to coastal structures, leading the government to declare a state of emergency in some regions.
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