Italy is preparing for another weekend of heavy rains. The north-eastern region of Emilia-Romagna has been grappling with heavy rains for days, in the coming days it will also rain heavily in the north-west of Italy, around Turin. “The danger has not yet completely passed, dozens of rivers are still full of water,” says correspondent Pauline Valkenet.
At least 13 people died in the storm in Emilia-Romagna, near Bologna. Still missing an unknown number. More than 10,000 people have now been evacuated, according to regional officials.
“The damage is still incalculable. The governor of Emilia-Romagna said yesterday that it will reach billions, says Valkenet. “Many homes and businesses are still submerged in water, tens of thousands of hectares of farmland have been flooded or are being flooded.”
Disaster area
The rain will move to northwest Italy next weekend, the affected region in the northeast appears to be less affected. “It will also rain throughout the weekend in the rest of Italy, but not as heavily as in that affected area of ​​Emilia-Romagna.”
“There are still levee breaches and landslides and many roads are damaged”
However, the danger has not yet passed in that region, says Valkenet. “There was a flood again last night. It is a huge disaster area filled with mud, there are still levee breaches and landslides, and many roads are damaged. All the schools are still closed today, so it’s not over there yet.’
prepared
The region was prepared for floods, but it didn’t see this rain coming, Valkenet says. “Nearly a thousand people had already been evacuated in advance, as they had been warned that a lot of rain would fall. That so much rain would fall and that it would have such an effect, it was not foreseen.’
It is the second time this month that Emilia-Romagna has had bad weather. In early May, two people died during thunderstorms in the same region. Meteorologists say torrential rains followed months of drought, which reduced the soil’s ability to absorb water.
Stay inside
There appears to be a little less rain for next weekend than earlier this week, but Northern Italy is taking everything into account, says Valkenet. «Some mayors of that region have invited the inhabitants of their municipality to stay at home, not to take the car and not to go anywhere unless absolutely necessary. There is a fear that things will go wrong there too.’
Source: BNR
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