euronews published May 21, 2023: Italy's Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni visits flood-hit regions. Italy's Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has visited her country's northeastern region after floods killed at least 14 people and displaced thousands more.
10 News First published May 18, 2023 Catastrophic Flood Emergency Hits Italy And The Balkans. A catastrophic flood emergency is unfolding across Europe from the Balkans to Northern Italy.
Euro News
written by Staff
Sunday May 21, 2023
Floods have also hit Croatia, Bosnia and Slovenia.
People are being advised to limit their travels in northern Italy, following devastating floods which have killed at least 14 people and forced 36,000 to evacuate their homes.
Earlier this week, 6 months' worth of rain fell in 36 hours in the region of Emilia-Romagna. Many rivers have burst their banks, submerging entire towns and making some villages and hamlets entirely inaccessible. Though thousands of volunteers have started cleanup, the region remains on red alert today (21 May).
“Apocalyptic” floods and landslides have also wreaked havoc in Croatia, Bosnia and Slovenia, with experts warning that climate-related disasters are on the rise in southern Europe.
In the region’s capital city of Bologna, the tourist board has urged citizens to limit their travel to essential journeys only.
The UK government has issued a travel warning, saying “It is advised to stay away from riverbanks and green areas affected by flooding. Traffic, including between Bologna and Rimini, is likely to be affected.” They urged people to check before they travel and follow instructions issued by local authorities. If you do decide to travel, make sure you have full travel insurance.
Some travellers - including Formula One fans - have cancelled plans to visit the region. The Emilia-Romagna F1 Grand Prix scheduled for this weekend has been called off as emergency crews are already overstretched by the crisis.
If you have travel plans to northern Italy, here’s what you need to know.
DW News published May 20, 2023 Twice-flooded northern Italy braces for more rain.
In Italy, at least 14 people have been killed in what are being called the worst floods in a century.More than 15,000 people in the country's north have been forced to leave their homes, and many are stranded with no electricity and dwindling food supplies. Authorities have called for residents to reduce their movements to a minimum in the affected region, which is still subject to a red weather alert. The same area was battered by extreme weather earlier in May, with at least two people dying during storms.
France24 News
written by AFP staff
Saturday May 20, 2023
More than 36,000 people have now been forced from their homes by deadly floods in northeast Italy, regional officials said Saturday, as rising waters swallowed more houses and fresh landslides isolated hamlets.
Violent downpours earlier this week killed 14 people, transforming streets in the cities and towns of the Emilia Romagna region into rivers.
And as more rain fell, regional authorities extended the red weather alert to Sunday.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said Saturday she was leaving the G7 summit in Japan early to deal with the emergency.
"Frankly I cannot remain so far from Italy in such a complex moment," she told reporters, thanking the 5,000 people -- from rescue workers to volunteers -- mobilised to help those hit by the floods.
She also thanked her fellow G7 leaders for their offers of aid.
Meloni was expected to visit some of the worst-hit areas on Sunday.
The authorities in Ravenna on Saturday ordered the immediate evacuation of more at-risk hamlets.
A helicopter involved in attempts to restore electricity crashed Saturday near Lugo, injuring one of the four people on board, the fire service said.
The floods have caused over 305 landslides and damaged or closed over 500 roads in the region.
"The water began to rise at 2:00 pm (on Friday), coming from across the fields," after nearby canals were swollen by flooded rivers, electrician Mauro Lodola told AFP.
"It's difficult. I want it to be over quickly, to be able to go forwards... to pick ourselves up," the 54-year-old said, standing thigh-high in the dirty water surrounding his house.
Lodola choked up as he showed his ruined house, the water lapping around the fridge in the kitchen and against the mattress on his bed, which was piled high with salvaged furniture.
Outside, a white door floated past a shed, where chickens who had been moved to safety clucked nervously.
Bologna's mayor Matteo Lepore said Saturday it would take "months, and in some places maybe years" for roads and infrastructure to be repaired.
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