Extreme weather disrupts life in northern Italy, causing flooding and blackouts

Extreme weather conditions wreaked havoc in northern Italy on Tuesday, October 31, 2023, causing the Seveso River in Milan to overflow and leading to a landslide that closed the Brenner motorway.

Heavy rains affecting Northern Italy caused the Seveso River to overflow, affecting various areas in Milan and Brianza. This not only led to extensive flooding but also caused a significant power outage.

Firefighters were called to Mediglia, near Milan, to rescue a woman and her two children trapped in their car by a fallen tree. In addition to the severe conditions in Milan, the Brenner motorway was closed because of a landslide on the Austrian side, creating further disruption.

In Venice, the Mose flood barrier system successfully prevented flooding, despite the water levels rising to an exceptional 1.54 m (5 feet). While Venice was spared, Lake Como was not as fortunate, as it also broke its banks due to the extreme weather conditions.

#Maltempo #Lombardia, prosegue il lavoro dei #vigilidelfuoco in regione: a #Milano svolti in mattinata oltre 50 interventi, soccorsi madre e 2 figli bloccati in auto dalla caduta di un albero; 90 interventi a #MonzaBrianza e 50 a #Como#31ottobre

📰👉🏻 https://t.co/VmUeA1RnzJ pic.twitter.com/n8uVAm2pKj

— Vigili del Fuoco (@vigilidelfuoco) October 31, 2023

Convergendo nello stesso punto con un elicottero e un gommone, i #vigilidelfuoco hanno salvato un uomo in difficoltà su un isolotto nel fiume Adige dopo un improvviso innalzamento dell’acqua. #Oggi l’intervento a San Giovanni Lupatoto#31ottobre #Verona pic.twitter.com/658LT2YxuN

— Vigili del Fuoco (@vigilidelfuoco) October 31, 2023

According to meteorologist Antonio Sanò, Italy should brace for more severe weather. The Atlantic storm front is expected to move southward, bringing more rainfall to the Tyrrhenian regions and the northwest by Friday, November 3, 2023. The storm front will further proceed to Tuscany, Lazio, and Umbria early on Friday. Sanò also predicted a sharp dip in temperatures, which will result in snowfall over low ground.

The extreme weather on October 31 was part of a larger meteorological event affecting Italy. With more adverse conditions predicted for the coming days, the situation remains critical, especially for northern regions like western Liguria, northern Piedmont, and the Alpine and pre-Alpine areas. However, the upcoming wave of bad weather is not expected to be as severe as the events of Tuesday.

References:

¹ Extreme weather batters northern Italy – ANSA – October 31, 2023

² Italy set for more bad weather – ANSA – November 1, 2023

Featured image credit: Vigili del Fuoco (stillshot)