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Floods Landa Northeast Italy, 36,000 People Forced to Refuge. PHOTO/Reuters
MILAN – More than 36,000 people are now forced to leave their homes as a result flood deadly in the northeast Italia , Saturday (20/5/2023). The water continued to inundate residential areas, swallowing more houses and causing landslides that isolated hamlets.
As reported by AFP, heavy rain earlier this week has killed 14 people. The floods also turned the streets of the cities of the Emilia Romagna region into rivers. And, because the intensity of the rain was getting heavier, regional authorities extended the red weather warning until Sunday (21/5/2023).
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said on Saturday he was leaving the G7 summit in Japan early to deal with the emergency.
“Frankly I couldn’t stay away from Italy in such a complicated moment,” he told reporters. He thanked the 5,000 people – from rescue workers to volunteers – who were mobilized to help those affected by the floods.
He also thanked fellow G7 leaders for their offers of assistance. Meloni is expected to visit some of the worst flood-hit areas this weekend.
Authorities in Ravenna on Saturday ordered the immediate evacuation of more hamlets at risk. A helicopter involved in efforts to restore power crashed Saturday near Lugo, injuring one of the four people on board, the fire service said.
Floods have also caused more than 305 landslides and damaged or closed more than 500 roads in the region.
“The water started rising at 14:00 (on Friday), coming from across the fields,” after nearby canals overflowed due to river flooding,” electrician Mauro Lodola told AFP.
