A water emergency prompted the mayor of Capri – one of Italy’s most popular islands – to order a halt to the arrival of tourists on Saturday, in a crisis that has deprived some areas of any water supply. Without a water supply, it was impossible to guarantee essential services to “thousands of people” who travel to the island daily during the tourist season, Mayor Paolo Falco said.

“The health and hygiene situation is explosive, we have taken our countermeasures and activated the crisis unit and issued a restrictive order,” the mayor’s order said.

The emergency was caused by a failure in the mainland’s water system that provides vital supplies to the world-known island.

At the moment water is still supplied to most of the island, but some isolated areas of the upper municipality of Anacapri are already dry. Only local reservoirs supply the network, which in the absence of supplies from the mainland risks being run out.

Meanwhile, tanks are expected to reach the island to support essential services, pending the restoration of full supply.

The Mayor’s order was notified shortly after 9 a.m. causing an immediate stop to ticket sales.

The move created long lines of passengers at the ticket offices at the ports of the southern city of Naples, the departing point for most ferries to Capri.

Ferries and hydrofoils that had already departed for Capri were contacted by radio by the maritime authorities, which ordered their return to port and disembarkation of passengers.