Tragedy was narrowly averted when a falling palm tree crushed a moving car, just missing a pedestrian.
CCTV footage shows the thick trunk landing on the oncoming vehicle with a heavy thud, bringing it to a halt on Saturday (10 Jan).
The falling tree narrowly missed an unsuspecting pedestrian, who had his back turned.
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He can be seen clutching his head in disbelief after realising what has happened.
Miraculously, the two people inside the car – which was badly damaged – sustained only minor injuries.
Paramedics treated them at the scene in Trani, southern Italy, before transferring them to a hospital in nearby Andria for further checks.
They are now reportedly recovering well.
The palm had been unstable for weeks and was finally scheduled for removal after a months-long dispute between Trani City Council and the heritage authority.
It was due to be uprooted just weeks after strong gusts of wind did the job instead on Saturday, as reported by Need To Know.
The daughter of one of the car’s occupants wrote on social media: “You can’t just call it ‘bad luck’ when a tragedy that could have been prevented is narrowly avoided.
“People’s lives shouldn’t depend on chance – or a few seconds.
“Today I’m grateful to everyone who acted quickly, who was there and made a difference. And most of all, I can still hold my father.
“But as a citizen, I feel I must say this: safety is not a small detail, it’s not something to put off, it’s not a ‘later’.”
Trani City Council said in a statement: “An agreement was eventually reached with the heritage authority to replace the palm with one of dimensions suitable for the location, and political approval to proceed was requested and obtained.
“The municipal office was coordinating with the landscaping company on the felling operations, which were scheduled to take place over the coming weeks.”
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