After days of rain, the extent of the destruction in Italy is devastating. The government is responding with emergency aid and a declaration of emergency.
Rome – Severe storms have hit Italy. After persistent rainfall in the northern part of the country, the authorities have now declared a state of emergency for two regions. Emilia-Romagna and Marche suffered particularly from the floods. After an unscheduled meeting in Rome, the government led by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has promised the affected regions emergency aid totaling 24 million euros.
The effects of the storms in Italy: Damage is only now becoming apparent
The heavy rains that have continued since Thursday (September 19) have caused numerous floods. More than 2,500 people have been forced to leave their homes. Some have sought refuge with friends and relatives, while others have sought shelter in sports facilities. Cities such as Bologna, Modena and Ravenna have been affected, as has the popular coastal resort of Rimini on the Adriatic, whose high season had only just ended a few days ago. In Emilia-Romagna, some residents have had to experience a flood disaster for the third time in a year.
Over the weekend (21/22 September) the weather calmed down and the rain stopped. Only now is the extent of the damage to many buildings becoming apparent. Many cars that were parked on the side of the road are unusable. The water on the streets slowly began to recede, but in many places large amounts of mud and other dirt remained. In the Italian region of Apulia, a firefighter even died due to the flooding.
Rain and floods in Italy: Last year, 17 people died in the region due to storms
There is now mutual blame between Rome and the regional governments of the flood-hit areas. Nello Musumeci, the right-wing minister for civil protection, criticized the social democratic-led administration of Emilia-Romagna for not using the funds already made available correctly. “Something is wrong. Such catastrophic floods cannot always occur in Emilia-Romagna,” said the minister.
Last year, 17 people died in storms in the region and property damage amounted to billions. The Social Democrats dismissed the accusations as election campaign maneuvers. Regional elections are scheduled for November in Emilia-Romagna, one of the wealthiest and traditionally left-wing regions in Italy. (tt/dpa)
#Government #declares #state #emergency #people #evacuated