Column and wall crumble in fresh damage at Italy's ancient Pompeii

(Reuters) - Parts of a column and wall in the ancient Roman city of Pompeii collapsed on Thursday due to heavy rainfall, authorities said, in the latest of a string of incidents to damage the UNESCO world heritage site.

One of the country's most popular attractions, Pompeii was preserved under ash from a volcanic eruption in 79 AD and rediscovered in the 18th century. It has become a symbol for decades of mismanagement of Italy's cultural sites after a series of collapses that have sparked international outcry.

The authorities responsible for Pompeii's upkeep said the upper part of a column and part of a wall had given way in an ancient shop in a part of the 66-hectare (165-acre) site already closed to visitors.

The superintendent of Pompeii, Massimo Osanna, said the damage was "of a limited size, although any incident of this type at Pompeii cannot be underestimated".

http://uk.reuters.com/article/2014/06/26/us-pompeii-damage-idUKKBN0F12F720140626