Severe storms again in parts of Italy
Following the severe storms of the past few days, the central Italian region of Tuscany has once again been hit by heavy rain and storms. More than 16,000 households are without electricity and around 1,200 people in the area not far from Florence have been evacuated as a precautionary measure, according to the president of the popular vacation region, Eugenio Giani. At least seven people have died as a result of the storms that have affected the area since Thursday evening.
The severe storms have particularly affected the provinces of Prato and Pistoia. The river Bisenzio and several smaller streams burst their banks and flooded entire villages. Meanwhile, clean-up work is underway in the municipalities where the water has already receded. "Our Tuscany may be wounded, but we are already rebuilding. Forza!", wrote Giani in a Facebook post.
There were also problems in other northern and central Italian regions due to the storms. It rained and stormed heavily in Veneto, Lombardy, Emilia-Romagna and Liguria. Videos showed how the towns of the Cinque Terre on the Italian Riviera in Liguria were hit by huge, high waves. According to media reports, the water from the waves even penetrated the historic town centers in some places. In Venice, the flood protection gates ("Mose") had to be deployed again to protect the lagoon city from flooding.
The heavy rain and storms have caused flooding in several villages near the Bisenzio river in the provinces of Prato and Pistoia. Due to the emergencies, vital services such as electricity have been disrupted for over 16,000 households. The meteorological conditions are also posing threats of floods in other northern and central Italian regions, including Veneto, Lombardy, Emilia-Romagna, and Liguria.
Source: www.dpa.com
