A few days before Easter, harsh weather continues to abuse Italy. On Thursday, the northwest was hit by strong winds, heavy rain and h, causing flooding in several cities and major damage to infrastructure, particularly.
The transportation sector has been hit hardest, with traffic becoming seriously disrupted and some areas are being cut off due to road and highway closures.
Early on Friday, the storm began moving towards the northeastern and central regions of the country. The worst areas include Piedmont, Lombardy and Veneto.
The Civil Protection Agency issued a red warning in Lombardy and Emilia Romana on Friday, April 18th due to rising water levels on the PO River. The other two areas of Lombardy have orange alerts, while eight areas have yellow alerts.
Two deaths in the Vicenza area
The bodies of two missing men were found in the Torissino Flood Basin (Vicenza). They are identified as 65-year-old Leone Nardon and his son Francesco (34).
After a night search after the pair was reported missing on Thursday evening, the bodies were recovered by firefighters a few hours away. They are believed to be heading to City Hall as volunteers to help with emergency response after hearing about the widespread flooding in the area.
“I am sorry for my family and the Bardanho community. Bardanho has hit this Good Friday severely on this Good Friday, both in its intensity and the amount of rain,” said Veneto region President Luca Zaire.
“We would like to thank the local civil protection, the Vikunza Engineering Team, all the volunteers, and the rescue personnel who are currently working in Agno Valley and other affected areas.”
Another fatality has been reported in the Turin region. A 92-year-old retired carpenter is thought to have been trapped in his home in Montedapo and owned.
Early estimates show that the damage caused by the Piedmont storm could be tens of millions of euros, said Marco Gabusi, a local councillor for civil protection.
“Heavy rain has already caused landslides, floods, evacuation and, unfortunately, the bridge collapse. This is a situation that requires the utmost caution,” Gabushi said.
Over 700 firefighters are on the ground, dealing with floods, removing fallen trees, and ensuring landslide hit areas, particularly around Turin.
Red alert for PO River floods
Following heavy rains, there is the biggest alert on the risk of river flooding. The main concern is that it could burst a bank at the border between Lombardy and Emilia-Romagna, rising almost 5 meters in the last 24 hours.
The flood is expected to pass through Emilia at a water level close to level 3.
The weather forecast suggests a return of sunlight on Friday and Saturday, but it will be a short rest. Between Easter Sunday and Easter Monday, rain is expected to return to central Italy and northern Italy, but it should be sunny in the south.
Heavy snow hit Italy, France and Switzerland
The heavy snow hit the Southern Alps on Thursday, causing travel disruption and power outages.
In France, avalanche warnings have reached level 5 in places such as Chamonix, and reported that more than a metre of snow has fallen in some areas.
In Switzerland, snow destroyed both road and rail transport, leaving some areas of the Valley canton without power. Schools in the area were closed Thursday as a precautionary measure.
In Zermatt, authorities have set up emergency meeting points to distribute mandatory supplies amid ongoing power outages, according to local sources.
Local media reported that in April 1976 there was no record of this intensity of snowfall in the Central Valley.
