Rescue crews scrambled to reach isolated towns and villages in northern Italy, where heavy rains and flooding had left a trail of destruction. The death toll rose to 13, with authorities warning of a dire situation if further rain falls. The extreme weather, marked by a prolonged drought followed by 36 hours of intense rainfall, caused widespread flooding, with two dozen rivers and tributaries bursting their banks. The force of the water sent torrents of mud tearing through entire towns, flooding storefronts and basements.
Local mayors warned that remote villages remained completely cut off due to landslides, with phone service still severed. This has prevented rescue teams from reaching residents and authorities from understanding the full scope of their needs. The death toll rose to 13 after more bodies were discovered on Thursday in the hard-hit province of Ravenna, including a couple in their 70s found dead in their flooded apartment.
In the city of Faenza, parts remained underwater, with cars submerged and basements swamped by thick, gooey mud. One family reported they had no electricity, gas, or food, while others took shelter at a local gymnasium. Over 10,000 people fled their homes, with some rescued from rooftops or balconies by helicopters and others ferried out on dinghies. A family with a 20-day-old baby was rescued on Thursday morning.
Italy’s Devastating Flooding.
As the waters receded, residents in some towns started cleaning up, shoveling out mud-filled basements and storefronts. The region had already estimated 1 billion euros in losses from previous heavy rains, but the damage now reaches multiple billions, affecting farmland, storefronts, and infrastructure. The Italian farm lobby, Coldiretti, estimated more than 5,000 farms were flooded, covering thousands of acres of vineyards, fruit groves, vegetables farms, and grain fields, with permanent damage to roots from the “suffocating” mud of the run-off.
Regional President Stefano Bonaccini has called for the national government to declare a state of emergency, which is likely to happen when the Cabinet meets next week. Already, the region is looking to reconstruction efforts and restoration of vital infrastructure. “It will take gigantic work” to recover, Bonaccini said.
