Severe storms have wreaked havoc in northern Italy. Meanwhile, forests and bushes are burning in the south. After all: In Spain and Portugal, the risk of forest fires has eased.
Rome – The weather seems unpredictable these days – all over Europe. Dangerous fires continue to burn in many parts of the continent in the long and prolonged drought. At the same time, heavy rain and storms that hit the parched soil lead to flooding and other damage. After the violent thunderstorms with devastation, injuries and two deaths, people in Italy have to continue to prepare for storms. “Unfortunately, it’s not over yet,” Luigi D’Angelo from Italy’s civil defense told La Stampa newspaper (Friday).
The northeast and the center were affected by the storms. Cold air from northern Europe, which meets warm air in the Mediterranean region, is the reason for the heavy downpours, explained the physicist and climate expert Antonio Navarra of the newspaper “Corriere della Sera” (Friday). On Thursday, storms swept across northern and central Italy at speeds in some cases well over 100 kilometers per hour. Two people lost their lives in the popular holiday region of Tuscany due to falling trees. The winds ravaged beaches; Buildings and cars were damaged. The fire brigades in the regions moved out hundreds of times.
A Facebook user filmed the weather violence in Sestri Levante in Liguria. The pictures show how the storm swept across the region within minutes. Thick drops fall into the sea before the storm breaks out with full force.
Italy divided in two: A country between storms and forest fires
In the lagoon city of Venice, a violent storm whirled tables, umbrellas and chairs across the famous St. Mark’s Square. “We didn’t expect that a storm could rage with this force,” said the boss of the Grancaffé Quadri dem Corriere della Sera. The storm lasted between 15 and 20 minutes. Italy now seems to be divided in two: While the north and parts of the middle of the boot are affected by storms and heavy rain, numerous forest and bush fires continue to blaze in the south and on the islands.
On the night of Friday, the fire brigades around the Sicilian capital Palermo fought against several wildfires. Winds and the dry soil caused by the drought fuel the flames. Many fires are caused by arson or human negligence. Because of the extreme weather, many suspect that climate change could be behind it. Expert Navarre is cautious: “The issue is sensitive because the climate is statistically defined by the entirety of the behavior of the atmosphere. That is, with what frequency and intensity phenomena of this type occur,” he explained. A single event does not explain the climate, but his research suggests that the increase in greenhouse gases makes these phenomena more likely.
Severe weather: Rain brings relief for holiday regions in Spain and Portugal
At least the situation with the devastating forest fires in the Spanish holiday region of Valencia stabilized for the time being on Thursday thanks to the long-awaited rain. The spread of the fires could be stopped and in many places the flames had even gone out, the civil defense announced on Twitter. Two large fires in the region of Bejís in the north and Vall d’Ebo in the south of the autonomous community of Valencia have reportedly destroyed around 21,000 hectares of forest and bush land since Saturday. In view of the abating forest fires, the first of around 2,000 evacuees were able to return home, as reported by the newspaper “La Vanguardia” and the state TV broadcaster RTVE.
In Portugal, too, a forest fire in Caldas da Rainha, around 80 kilometers north of Lisbon, gave the all-clear. The fire was brought under control early in the morning, the Portuguese state news agency Lusa reported, citing civil defense.
Severe weather in Europe: risk of flooding in Bavaria
The current weather conditions are also leaving their mark in Germany. There is a risk of severe weather and flooding in south-east Germany.
#Severe #weather #Europe #Italy #split