One Dead as Severe Weather Strikes Italy

Rome: One person is dead as severe weather has hit Italy with late-August storms moving in following a prolonged heat wave. A 40-year-old man, who had been missing since Tuesday afternoon after the Crisa River, swollen by rain, swept away his car in Leonforte (Enna), has been found dead. Meanwhile, two other individuals were rescued from the river by emergency services.

According to Ansa News Agency, the North of Italy is experiencing worsening weather conditions, with heavy rains prompting the closure of public parks in Milan. The Lambro River is being closely monitored, and an orange alert has been issued for Emilia Romagna, Liguria, and Lombardy due to the adverse weather conditions. Central and southern regions, however, continue to endure hot and muggy weather, though sporadic storms have caused occasional disruptions.

The Pisan coast suffered flood damage on Wednesday, while heat-induced thunderstorms led to flooding in parts of Arezzo. The Civil Protection Department has issued an orange alert for sections of Liguria and Lombardy, along with a yellow alert for other regions, including Piedmont, Emilia-Romagna, Veneto, Tuscany, and parts of Friuli-Venezia Giulia and Marche.

Meteorologist Lorenzo Tedici from iLMeteo.it indicated that the current spike in temperatures across much of Italy will soon subside, with maximum temperatures expected to drop by up to 10 degrees Celsius in the coming days, particularly in the north. This means a significant decrease from 40 degrees Celsius to 25 degrees during peak hours.

In response to the weather alert, Milan’s Palazzo Marino has activated the Civil Protection Department’s municipal operations center and decided to close parks. Bergamo has also followed suit, closing its parks and gardens. In Milan, a van with Slovenian license plates was hit by a large branch that broke off in the vicinity of the Arena and Sempione Park, miraculously leaving the driver and two passengers unharmed.

Arezzo has experienced its third severe downpour in as many days, causing flooding and traffic disruptions. In Sardinia, severe weather led to two traffic accidents on State Road 131 due to slippery asphalt, resulting in injuries. Hailstorms in the mountainous regions of Nuoro, Ogliastra, and Campidano have caused extensive damage to crops and farms, with vineyards and olive groves suffering the most.

The Cagliari countryside is assessing the storm damage, particularly in areas such as Monastir, Pimentel, Barrali, Senorb¬, and the greater Cagliari area. Torrential rains and hail have devastated crops, fodder, and farm structures, leading to significant losses for farmers and ranchers. Coldiretti, an Italian farmers’ association, reported that entire rows of vines have been irreparably damaged within a few hours.