Flash floods hit the Marche region in central Italy last weekend, leaving at least 11 people dead and 50 injured. According to the authorities, two other people are missing.
Severe weather wreaked havoc in the coastal town of Ancona – the capital of the region – and its surrounding villages, with more than 400 millimeters of rain falling in a few hours.
Hundreds of fire crews came to the aid of people stuck and caught in floods, offering lifeboats and assistance. Reinforcements are also due to arrive from other Italian regions, including Lombardy, Emilia-Romagna and Abruzzo.
Among the missing is an eight-year-old girl and her mother, the Italian news agency ANSA reported.
Some victims also found themselves forced to climb trees or scavenge on rooftops to await rescue.
Riccardo Pasqualini, the mayor of Barbara, told Italian state radio: “It wasn’t a water bomb, it was a tsunami.”
The tragedy unfolding in Marche came after a pattern of thunderstorms and extreme weather has affected the Italian peninsula for over a month, following a stormy summer of record-breaking heat.
In Ancona, a city of about 100,000 inhabitants, many remained without electricity and schools remained closed in the most affected areas.
September 15, 2022
???????? #italy | heavy Rains caused severe floods in Senigallia#Flood #italia #flooding #floods #flood #rains #rain #rains #selpic.twitter.com/qfkBTmwbMJ— CLIMATE Change ????️????❄️ (@weatheralert15) September 16, 2022
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