A famous landmark in Italy's Apulia region, the rock on the coast of Melendunio, has collapsed due to bad weather in southern Italy, according to a statement on the region's official website. "The collapse of the Arch of Lovers in the Melendunio region of Lecce is a consequence of climate change, which is seriously testing our territory and highlighting the fragility of our coastlines. iconic landscapes that are changing faster today than in the past," the authorities said in a statement.
The collapse of the rock forming the arch was first reported by the local portal Melendugno.net, which published photos showing how the natural structure literally collapses into the water.
As the publication noted, the arch has appeared on the covers of countless magazines and travel websites for decades, serving as one of the main sights of the Adriatic coast. According to the report, the landmark collapsed on the night of St. Valentine's Day due to gusts of wind and high tide.
The mayor of Melendugno, Maurizio Cisternino, called the incident a terrible blow to the heart. "One of the most famous tourist spots on our coast and in all of Italy is disappearing," the mayor said, as quoted by Repubblica.
