Floods and landslides in Emilia-Romagna, Italy
Heavy rainfall caused massive flooding and landslides leading to vehicles getting washed away and roads becoming raging rivers on Saturday, October 19, 2024.
Person driving through flooded underpass in Emilia-Romagna, Italy - October 2024. Image credit: Vigili Del Fuoco
Torrential rain on Saturday caused flooding on roads, leading to vehicles being swept away and landslides in Emilia-Romagna.
“This severe weather created a worse situation than in May 2023,” said interim Governor Irene Priolo. In May 2023, Emilia-Romagna was hit by flooding and landslides linked to unprecedented rainfall that left 17 people dead and caused billions of euros of damage.
A 20-year-old man reported missing after his car was swept away when the Zena River broke its bank was found dead near Bologna in the Pianoro area on Sunday, October 20.
Fifty rescue operations were carried out by firefighters, involving broken-down cars, flooded basements, and fallen trees on the roads.
A total of 175 mm (6.9 inches) of rain fell in just a few hours, leaving 13 municipalities in a critical situation. The affected cities include Ravenna, Modena, and Reggio Emilia.
Almost 3 000 people were evacuated between Saturday and Sunday in Emilia-Romagna as a precautionary measure. 2 100 people were evacuated in Bologna, and 1 000 people were forced to leave their homes in Cadelbosco near Reggio Emilia.
The entire town of Bagnacavallo, near Ravenna, was evacuated as the area had already been affected by floods last month. The September floods were less severe but still caused some disruptions.
Authorities advised people not to go out or use their cars and to stay on the top floors of buildings. Heavy rain and storms affected the entire country from North to South.
The Salso River broke its bank near the city of Agrigento in Licata, forcing residents to abandon their homes. Catania was also affected by the rains, with roads turning into rivers. Veneto and Marche were under an orange alert on Sunday.
Other affected areas included parts of Calabria, large areas of Veneto and Basilicata, the southeastern part of Lombardy, and 13 other regions.
Over the last two days, Monday, October 21, and Tuesday, October 22, firefighters carried out 100 operations in the city of Catanzaro. Several landslides were also reported in the municipalities of Jacurso and Maida.
Twenty-five rescue operations were carried out on Tuesday in the city of Catania. The most affected areas included Giarre, Mascali, Zafferana Etnea, and Belpasso.
References:
1 Emilia-Romagna on ‘red alert’, over 3,000 evacuated – ANSA – October 20, 2024
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