Dhamma Atala (Italy) suffered severe damage during the recent floods that wreaked havoc in central Italy in late May. On day nine of a course, local officials ordered Vipassana students to evacuate the center due to the hazardous conditions. As students left the center on foot and then by helicopter, they left behind cars and personal belongings as torrential rains caused rivers to rise and break their banks, flooding large areas. Landslides and mudslides also caused roads to be blocked or even washed away.
In the aftermath of the floods, Dhamma Atala has now begun to survey the damage incurred. Sadly, the center has suffered extensive damage with landslides on the slopes near the Dhamma Hall and several walkways covering or compromising the center's structures. The access road to the center has also been destroyed.
The Dhamma Atala Center has served old and new students since 2008, standing on the side of a remote valley in a hilly area of Lutirano, Marradi. Some twenty 10-day courses, plus Satipatthana, short, and children's courses, are held annually. All future courses have been canceled, and the center is still determining when they will reopen.
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Photo: Access road damaged by landslides at Dhamma Atala
PHOTO: Landslide Damage