(ANSA) - MELENDUGNO, FEB 16 - Puglia Governor Antonio Decaro on Monday lamented the loss of the Arco dell'Amore (Arch of Love) coastal rock formation at Melendugno, near Lecce, which caved in at the weekend following days of torrential rain and storm surges. "We have lost one of our region's defining characteristics, an asset of symbolic value," Decaro said as he visited the site. "We have lost a major tourist attraction. "Unfortunately, natural processes are often accelerated by meteorological phenomena, such as the tail end of Cyclone Oriana, which hit southern Italy (last week) and is now moving towards the Balkans. "The commitment we must all make is to try to slow down these phenomena while preserving the coast. "This is a stretch of coast where construction work was done some years ago, but it was to no avail. "We will also try to help municipalities (with conservation projects) through the regional agencies because I realise that it is difficult for a municipality to plan and execute some projects that are particularly complex to implement and require numerous permits, even if it receives funding. "We can put the regional agencies at the disposal of the municipalities, because it is an organizational issue too". (ANSA). Read article...