Sicily braces for second cyclone this week

Sicily braced for the arrival of a cyclone Thursday, the second this week after a deadly storm hammered the southern Italian island, killing three people.  The Mediterranean cyclone known as a "medicane" was set to reach Sicily's eastern coast and the tip of mainland Calabria between Thursday evening and Friday morning, Italian public research institute ISPRA said. In Malta, the Met office removed a warning in place since Wednesday morning urging the public to "be prepared" for heavy rain, thunder and strong winds. The civil protection unit placed eastern Sicily under an orange alert in anticipation of the storm's arrival.  "Heavy rainfall and strong sea storms are expected on the coast, with waves of significant height over 4.5 metres (15 feet)," ISPRA said.  On Tuesday, parts of eastern Sicily off the tip of Italy's 'boot' were ravaged by a cyclone, following days of heavy rains that sparked flooding and mudslides, killing three people. Television images from Tuesday showed flooding in the emergency room of Catania's Garibaldi-Nesima hospital, while rain was seen pouring from the roof inside offices at the city courtroom.  Thursday's storm was set to hit the same area around...