Intense rainfall and flooding triggered by a red weather alert have isolated communities and prompted school closures across northwest Tuscany today, November 12, 2026.
The severe weather, part of a wider Atlantic storm system, resulted in a significant landslide on Via Bassa Tambura in Massa, cutting off the mountain hamlets of Forno and Casette. According to local authorities, approximately 100 people were unable to return to their homes, with the municipality establishing an emergency shelter at the sports hall to assist those affected.
The Prefect of Massa Carrara, Gaetano Cupello, ordered the activation of the Coordination Center for Relief during the afternoon, bringing together civil protection components and competent entities to manage the unfolding crisis and handle population support operations.
Infrastructure and Emergency Response
The Prefect of Massa Carrara activated the Coordination Center for Relief (CCS) to manage the emergency as the region faced widespread hydrogeological instability. Officials reported that intense precipitation caused multiple landslides, forcing urgent interventions in municipalities including Fosdinovo and Tresana to restore road access.
In Fosdinovo, firefighters intervened at the Isolone Torrent to remove fallen tree trunks that were causing water levels to rise dangerously within the watercourse. Meanwhile, the Frigido River was placed under constant hydrometric monitoring after overflowing near its mouth, prompting local authorities to reinforce the banks with earth fill.
In Carrara, emergency teams rescued a woman trapped inside her vehicle within a flooded underpass. While she did not sign major injuries, the incident highlighted the risks posed to the transport network. Rail operator RFI implemented precautionary service suspensions on the Aulla-Castelnuovo G.na line from 9:30 AM to 12:30 PM and on the Pontremolese line from Aulla to Grandola starting at 11:00 AM to conduct safety checks on infrastructure under the red alert protocols.
Additional disruptions hit the road network, including the closure of State Road 62 of the Cisa in Aulla at Caprigliola due to a landslide at kilometer 7.951, where heavy vehicles were forced onto a detour via the Caprigliola roundabout, SS 330, and SP 10 toward the Vezzano Ligure highway toll booth.
Local Administrations Close Schools During Weather Alerts
Local administrations across the province issued ordinances to close schools, citing the need to protect students and staff during the red alert. The Civil Protection department declared a red weather alert for northern parts of Tuscany, specifically covering Serchio-Garfagnana-Lima, Lunigiana, and Reno, while issuing an orange alert for Emilia-Romagna and Liguria.
In Liguria, mayors in locations such as La Spezia, Chiavari, Sestri Levante, Casarza Ligure, Santa Margherita Ligure, and Santo Stefano di Magra ordered the closure of educational institutions of all grades. The impact on families has become a point of political debate, with opposition representatives calling for a more unified regional protocol.
In a social situation already fragile for many families, closing schools has concrete consequences: parents who must be absent from work, additional costs, and serious difficulties in organizing childcare, especially for those who cannot count on grandparents or other help
Forza Italia Prato
Similar measures were taken in Massa, Aulla, and various other municipalities across the provinces of Lucca and Pistoia. In the Prato province, decisions varied significantly, with closures ordered in Prato, Montemurlo, and Carmignano, while schools in Vaiano, Poggio a Caiano, and Cantagallo remained open, and Vernio limited suspensions exclusively to the Montepiano area.
Serchio River Reaches Peak Flow as Winds Damage Monte Giovo
According to the mayor of Borgo a Mozzano, Patrizio Andreuccetti, the river’s flow rate reached a peak of 1,180 cubic meters per second around 11:30 PM.
Further up in the Garfagnana mountains at 1,991 meters above sea level, severe weather also affected Monte Giovo, where strong winds reaching gale force knocked down the historic cross erected by scouts in the 1960s.
While the peak of the flood passed overnight, authorities remain on high alert as the weather system continues to track across the region. Regional officials have advised citizens to limit outdoor activities and avoid transiting near riverbanks or in areas prone to flooding until the current alert status is downgraded.