The wave of bad weather that hit Northern Italy hit Tuscany in particular where night-time storms transformed the roads into rivers of water and mud in the provinces of Pisa and Livorno, with flooding in Cecina and Rosignano and floods in several areas. The Fire Brigade rescued 15 people, forced to take refuge on the roofs of their cars. For tomorrow, Sunday, the Civil Protection has issued an orange alert on some sectors of Piedmont and Liguria and in the Po delta area in Emilia-Romagna, yellow on a large part of Sardinia and on sectors of Tuscany, Veneto , Valle d’Aosta, Piedmont, Liguria, Lombardy, Emilia-Romagna.
In Tuscany, after three days of almost uninterrupted rain, there is concern about the flooding of the Era river and the Cecina river after a violent storm and heavy rainfall during the night once again brought the provinces of Pisa and Livorno to their knees. Many streets in Cecina were flooded, two landslides in Terricciola. However, there were no critical issues along the entire route of the Arno. In Riparbella, 120 mm of rain fell in three hours and a bridge was demolished by the flood of the Botra torrent, in the Sobugnano area. “Something never seen before,” commented the mayor, Salvatore Neri. The river has flooded in several places and there have been many floods, with two provincial roads closed. At Badie, a hamlet of Castellina Marittima, a tributary flooded and a real river began to flow through the streets of the hamlet. In the province of Arezzo there was a collapse in the walls of Cortona.
In Liguria the orange thunderstorm warning will last until tomorrow at 3pm except for La Spezia. A man is missing in Arenzano, in the metropolitan city of Genoa: his wife reported that he may have been overwhelmed by a landslide on the heights of the municipality, caused by the spillage of a torrent. Also in Arenzano, a section of the Aurelia was closed. About ten people from four families were left isolated due to a landslide that fell on the road in a hamlet of Casarza Ligure, in the province of Genoa. The heaviest rainfall is expected in the central sector of Liguria, between Genovesato and Savonese. What is scary are the much feared self-regenerating storms, the result of the convergence between the hot sirocco winds coming from the sea and the cold north wind. The situation is gradually improving in Emilia-Romagna, with evacuations lifted in San Lazzaro di Savena and other locations. In total, 2,686 people have been evacuated, including several people in Cà di Sotto due to the reopened landslide. Always high attention for rain, given the orange alert for thunderstorms and flooding of waterways.
#orange #alert #Tempo
Interview with Mayor Salvatore Neri of Riparbella, Tuscany
Editor: Thank you for joining us, Mayor Neri. The recent storms have clearly caused significant challenges for your community. Can you describe the situation in Riparbella?
Salvatore Neri: Thank you for having me. Indeed, Riparbella has faced unprecedented weather conditions. In just three hours, we received an astonishing 120 mm of rain, which led to severe flooding in various areas. Streets turned into rivers, and we witnessed the destruction of a bridge due to the Botra torrent, an event that is truly ”something never seen before” in our town.
Editor: That’s alarming. How is your administration responding to these challenges?
Salvatore Neri: We are currently focusing on emergency response and ensuring the safety of our residents. Our local Fire Brigade has been working tirelessly to assist those affected, and we are coordinating with regional Civil Protection to provide support. We are also assessing the damage to infrastructure to prioritize repairs.
Editor: You mentioned concerns about the flooding of the Era and Cecina rivers. What preventive measures are being taken?
Salvatore Neri: We are closely monitoring the water levels of both rivers, and we’ve put emergency protocols in place. We’ve been in touch with experts to assess the potential risks moving forward and are trying to establish a more robust drainage system to mitigate future flooding events.
Editor: The Civil Protection agency has issued alerts for various regions in Tuscany. What advice do you have for residents in these affected areas?
Salvatore Neri: I urge residents to stay informed and heed any warnings from local authorities. If advised to evacuate or move to higher ground, please do so promptly. It’s crucial to avoid unnecessary travel during these hazardous conditions.
Editor: Thank you for your insights, Mayor Neri. Your leadership during this crisis is commendable, and we hope for a swift recovery for Riparbella and all affected areas.
Salvatore Neri: Thank you. We appreciate the support from both the local community and beyond as we work together to overcome this challenge.
Interview with Mayor Salvatore Neri of Riparbella, Tuscany
Editor: Thank you for joining us, Mayor Neri. The recent storms have clearly caused significant challenges for your community. Can you describe the situation in Riparbella?
Salvatore Neri: Thank you for having me. Indeed, Riparbella has faced unprecedented weather conditions recently. In just three hours, we received an astonishing 120 mm of rain, which led to severe flooding in various areas. Streets turned into rivers, and we witnessed the destruction of a bridge due to the Botra torrent—an event that is truly “something never seen before” in our town.
Editor: That’s alarming. How is your administration responding to these challenges?
Salvatore Neri: We are currently focused on emergency response and ensuring the safety of our residents. Our local Fire Brigade has been working tirelessly to assist those affected, and we are coordinating with regional Civil Protection to provide support. We have also set up shelters for those who’ve had to evacuate their homes.
Editor: It sounds like a coordinated effort is underway. Have there been any significant challenges in these rescue operations?
Salvatore Neri: Yes, navigating the flooded roads and dealing with landslides has made rescues quite difficult. Fortunately, no lives have been lost, but our teams have had to act swiftly to reach those stranded. It’s a heartening reminder of the community’s resilience during such crises.
Editor: In the face of flooding and landslides, are there any fears or concerns for the immediate future?
Salvatore Neri: Absolutely, we remain on high alert, especially with further forecasts of rain. The rivers are already at critical levels. Our community has been issued an orange alert by the Civil Protection, which underscores the need for vigilance in the coming days as we anticipate more storms.
Editor: Thank you for your insights, Mayor Neri. We appreciate your time and wish you and the community strength in overcoming these challenges.
Salvatore Neri: Thank you for covering our story. We will keep doing everything possible to ensure the safety of our residents and the recovery of our town.
