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Storm Boris floods Italy, Emilia-Romagna sees over 300 mm (11.8 inches) of rain in 48 hours

ByRishav Kothari

Around 300 – 400 mm (11.8 – 15.7 inches) of rain fell in the Emilia-Romagna Region of northern Italy in 48 hours between Tuesday and Thursday, September 17 – 19, 2024. Triggered by the Storm “Boris” (also known as Cyclone “Boris”) the rains caused intense flooding, forcing around 1 000 people to evacuate and move to shelters.

Storm Boris floods Italy, Emilia-Romagna sees over 300 mm (11.8 inches) of rain in 48 hours

Image credit: Vigili Del Fuoco

  • Around 300 – 400 mm (11.8 – 15.7 inches) of rain fell in the Emilia-Romagna Region of northern Italy in 48 hours.
  • Almost 1 000 people were forced to evacuate.
  • Helicopters had to be used to rescue people stranded in the flooded regions.

Storm “Boris” has been battering northern Italy for several days, bringing heavy rainfall and strong winds. From Tuesday to Thursday, the storm dumped approximately 300 – 400 mm (11.8 – 15.7 inches) of rain in the Emilia-Romagna region, leading to severe flooding overnight, according to local media reports on Thursday.

The provinces of Ravenna, Bologna, and Faenza in the region reported flooding in rivers, prompting local authorities to advise people to either evacuate or move to higher floors.

At least 1 000 people were evacuated, spending the night in shelters, schools, and sports centers. Of these, approximately 800 were from the Ravenna region, and around 200 from the Bologna province.

The city of Faenza has been the worst hit, with two rivers flowing through the city seeing a rapid rise in water levels due to incessant rain. Authorities in nearby Bologna reported on Thursday morning that river levels in the city were under control, though the Red weather alert is expected to continue until Friday, September 20, for most of the region.

Firefighters had to use helicopters to conduct rescue operations in some parts of the region. In Castelferretti, Falconara firefighters conducted 90 rescue operations on Thursday.

Schools across Emilia-Romagna have been closed, and the University of Bologna canceled exams and lessons. Train services have been suspended, and some roads have reportedly been affected by landslides.

Towns in the central region of Marche have also reported severe flooding and disruption.

No casualties have been reported.

References:

1 Storm Boris batters Italy after wreaking havoc in central Europe – BBC– September 19, 2024

2 At least 1000 people evacuated as flooding hits northern Italy – AP – September 19, 2024

Rishav Kothari is Editor-in-Chief of The Watchers, where he runs the newsroom and covers earthquakes, volcanoes, severe weather and space weather.

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