Belice
| Belice | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Origin | Near Piana degli Albanesi |
| Mouth | Strait of Sicily, Castelvetrano |
| Basin countries | Italy |
| Length | 77 km (48 mi) |
| Source elevation | |
| Avg. discharge | |
| Basin area | 866 km² |
The Belice (Sicilian: Bèlici) is a river, 77 km in length, of western Sicily. From its main source near Piana degli Albanesi it runs south and west for 45.5 km as the Belice Destra (Right Belice) until it is joined on the left by its secondary branch, the 42 km Belice Sinistro (Left Belice), which rises on the slopes of Rocca Busambra. The Belice proper then flows for another 30 km or so before entering the Strait of Sicily to the east of the ancient Greek archaeological site of Selinunte. During Classical times it was known as the Hypsas.
History
The middle section of the Belice valley was hit by a severe earthquake in January 1968 which completely destroyed numerous centres of population, including Gibellina, Montevago and Salaparuta. 370 people died, a thousand were injured and some 70,000 people were made homeless.
Notes
References
- This is in part a translation of Belice, the corresponding article in the Italian Wikipedia, as retrieved on 12:35, 8 October 2006 (UTC).
Coordinates: 37°35′N 12°52′E / 37.583°N 12.867°E