Italy is suffering from a period of drought, now storms are hitting parts of the country with full force; and sometimes devastating effects. The result is flooding and landslides.
Bologna – After a period of drought in large parts of southern Europe for weeks and months, heavy rains in Italy have now led to sometimes dramatic floods. In northern Italy, water shortages have caused lakes and rivers to reach historic lows; Lake Garda, which is popular with tourists, sometimes resembled a lunar landscape, as pictures show.
According to reports, around 40 percent less rain fell in regions recently than the historical average. In the Emilia-Romagna region near the northern Italian city of Bologna, heavy rainfall has now caused chaos: hundreds of people had to be rescued from their homes, and thousands more were threatened with evacuation on Wednesday (May 3).
Storms and floods in Italy: Landslides also hit the region
The local fire brigade reported a good 400 operations in the past few days, some rivers had burst their banks and flooded streets and parts of towns. Soldiers from the Italian military also had to be used for the operations.
The areas around the capital Bologna and the northern Italian coastal city of Ravenna were particularly affected. In Bologna, numerous flooded roads were closed, and rail traffic was also suspended in many places. Particularly fatal for the people in this region: in addition to the floods, there were numerous landslides, some of which also affected residential buildings.
In many places, the climatic conditions are so extreme that the first measures have been taken. Authorities in Italy and France have reacted to the ongoing drought with water-saving guidelines. (dpa/rku)
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