A wave of violent storms and torrential rain has caused widespread damage and disruption in northern Italy, particularly in the regions of Piedmont, Lombardy, and Veneto. The severe weather has raised concerns for the safety of residents and led to dramatic rescue efforts.
In the Piedmont region, a man was swept away on a tractor in the Orco creek near Turin. Search and rescue teams are working tirelessly to locate the missing 58-year-old man. Additionally, two bridges collapsed in Piedmont's Val di Susa, leaving around 50 people stranded in two villages.
In Lombardy and Veneto, flooding has caused chaos in the city of Milan, with the Seveso and Lambro rivers overflowing. Firefighters have been inundated with calls to rescue individuals trapped in flooded road underpasses and to pump water out of basements.
The extreme weather has also impacted transportation, leading to the suspension of some subway services in Milan. The Radio Popolare station in Milan had to go off the air for the first time in its history due to flooding at its broadcast center.
Scientists have highlighted the role of the climate crisis in intensifying extreme weather events like these storms. The increased frequency of heavy rainfall and flooding is attributed to the warming atmosphere's ability to hold more moisture.
Meanwhile, southern Italy is grappling with a severe drought, posing significant challenges for local agriculture and tourism, particularly in Sicily and Sardinia.
