Storms Batter Northern Italy, Leaving Woman Dead
(MENAFN) Violent storms battered northern Italy over the weekend, leaving one person dead and injuring dozens, while triggering landslides, severe flooding, and major transport disruptions.
A woman in Milan lost her life after being hit by a falling tree, media reported Monday, as emergency responders were inundated with thousands of calls across several affected regions.
On Sunday, authorities issued an orange-level alert—the second-highest on the scale—for Lombardy, Veneto, and Friuli Venezia Giulia, citing forecasts of fierce thunderstorms, damaging winds, and potential flash floods.
Several other regions, including Campania, Lazio, Emilia-Romagna, Tuscany, Liguria, and Trentino-Alto Adige, remain under a yellow alert, signaling continued risk.
In Lombardy, firefighters were deployed to over 500 incidents since Saturday afternoon, particularly in the provinces of Bergamo, Brescia, Milan, and Varese. Crews worked to remove fallen trees, manage water-related damage, and stabilize precarious structures.
Two municipal workers in Milan were injured while cutting down storm-damaged trees.
Rail services between Milan and Bologna were briefly suspended after lightning struck an Italo high-speed train near Melegnano. Trains experienced delays of up to 270 minutes, with operations fully restored by midnight.
In the Val Senales area of Alto Adige, a massive mudslide swept away two vehicles on a provincial road, temporarily isolating the Maso Corto community. Firefighters rescued all passengers safely, and no injuries were reported.
Friuli Venezia Giulia experienced wind gusts over 110 km/h and heavy rainfall that led to localized flooding, landslides, and falling rocks. In Cansiglio alone, 165 mm of rain was recorded in a few hours. Roads were blocked and trees downed in Trieste, Spilimbergo, and Lignano Sabbiadoro.
In Novara, part of a building’s terrace roof was ripped off and hurled into the street, damaging multiple parked vehicles. Meanwhile, a landslide in Como sent 50 cubic meters of debris near a residential complex, though no one was injured.
Tuscany saw a dramatic spike in electrical activity, with over 27,000 lightning strikes recorded in just 12 hours. Emergency services remained active in San Gimignano and neighboring areas due to flash flooding.
The Italian Civil Protection Department has urged residents to steer clear of riverbanks, underpasses, and scaffolding.
Although the southern parts of Italy continue to endure oppressive heat, meteorologists expect cooler air to spread nationwide by Wednesday, offering some relief.
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