Italy landslide death toll rises to 5 as 9 people remain missing

Nov. 27 (UPI) -- The death toll after a powerful landslide on the Italian island of Ischia rose to five on Sunday as at least nine people remain missing.

Four of the five victims have not been publicly identified, though one of them has been named by The Guardian as 32-year-old Eleonora Sirabella.

The rise in the death toll came after the bodies of an elderly woman and a young girl, described as being either 5 or 6 years old, were found on Sunday, the BBC reported. Rescuers are still searching for nine people believed to be missing.

The landslide, triggered by heavy rain, destroyed dozens of homes and dragged cars into the sea - prompting more than 100 firefighters to clear streets.

However, about 28,000 homes -- around half of the homes built on the tourist destination island -- were constructed illegally as far back as 1920, The Guardian reported.

The government of Giorgia Meloni, Italy's populist prime minister who rose to power in October, announced a state of emergency Sunday and has earmarked more than $2 million to fund repairs.

The Campania Prefecture office told CNN that eight people have been rescued and 209 more were evacuated from the area during the landslide.