· · ·

Devastating storm causes millions worth of damage, prompts state of emergency in northern Italy

italy-storm-august-23-2020

A violent storm struck Italy's northern region on Sunday, August 23, 2020, bringing hail, paralyzing floods, strong winds, and a tornado. In a statement on Monday, August 24, the National Confederation of Farmers (Coldiretti) said the severe weather caused "millions of euros in damages." On the same day, a state of emergency has been declared in several provinces, with authorities saying the consequences were "devastating."

The severe storm struck Verona on Sunday afternoon, causing waterlogging and road blockage. Strong winds of up to 80 km/h (50 mph) caused considerable damage to homes and uprooted hundreds of trees.

The fire department received more than 220 calls for assistance, prompting the civil defense and police departments to put staff on alert overnight.

Torrents of ice swept through streets, trapping vehicles and motorists. Crews conducted numerous rescues in flooded basements and residential properties, as well as clearing operations on roads that were blocked by fallen trees and posts. 

A tornado was also reported in the city, which uprooted trees and damaged buildings by tearing off roofings. Many vineyards were battered, as well as greenhouses and harvests.

According to the preliminary assessment by Coldiretti, the severe weather is shown to have caused extensive damage, mainly to agriculture in the region, worth millions of euros.

YouTube video

"The nets that were supposed to protect the fruit ready for harvest were devastated by the fury of the climate, which did not spare the grapes that were about to be picked," it said.

The farmers association noted that so far in August, there have been five hail and rainstorms a day "up and down the Italian peninsula, often destroying a whole year's worth of work in a few minutes."

On Monday, Veneto Governor Luca Zaia announced that a state of emergency has been declared for the provinces and cities of Verona, Padova, Vicenza, and Belluno, where the storm left "devastating" consequences.

Verona bore the brunt of the harsh weather, and is currently "on its knees," Zaia added.

No fatalities and injuries were reported.

YouTube video

Featured image credit: Blitz

Share:

Commenting rules and guidelines

We value the thoughts and opinions of our readers and welcome healthy discussions on our website. In order to maintain a respectful and positive community, we ask that all commenters follow these rules:

  • Treat others with kindness and respect.
  • Stay on topic and contribute to the conversation in a meaningful way.
  • Do not use abusive or hateful language.
  • Do not spam or promote unrelated products or services.
  • Do not post any personal information or content that is illegal, obscene, or otherwise inappropriate.

We reserve the right to remove any comments that violate these rules. By commenting on our website, you agree to abide by these guidelines. Thank you for helping to create a positive and welcoming environment for all.

2 Comments

  1. Repentons nous !!! Notre part dans la destruction de la planète, Ok, les changements climatiques, Ok, mais pas seulement… Nos actions ont AUSSI des Répercussions… Nous rejetons Dieu, aussi s’en va t’Il voir à côté, qui Le prend au sérieux, se mettant ainsi sous Sa Protection et Sa Bénédiction….

  2. September the 2nd is also the 23rd day of the 6th month on the native 40 day calendar on that calendar today would be the 17th and the 29th of August the 19th, it looks like it is time to bring in the corn from all of those storms happing.

Leave a reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *