Storms in Italy | Climate chaos shakes Italy: tornadoes and storms in the north, extreme heat and fires in the south

2023-07-25 19:44:58

“He hardest day of the last 10 years”. This has been described by the Minister in charge of Civil Protection of Italy, Nello Musumeci, he climate chaos that the transalpine country is experiencing this Tuesday. A day marked by tornadosviolent rains and heavy hailstorms in the north of the country and, at the same time, fires and a scorching heat in the south of the peninsula. An extreme climate that has already left at least five fatalities and dozens of injuries.

trees and split light poles in two, violent floods of water and washed-out streets. Such is the devastating image of the consequences of the environmental catastrophe in the north and north-central Italy, where the situation is particularly alarming in the regions of Trentino, Friuli, Emilia Romagna, Tuscany, Veneto and Lombardy.

In this last territory, a teenager 16 years old has died in the early hours of the day. The young woman was in a ‘scout’ camp in the town of Palú when, during a strong storm, a tree fell on the tent in which he slept. In Forlì, Emilia Romagna, a tornado has completely destroyed various agricultural plantations.

1,400 lightning strikes in three hours

The situation is also being very difficult in Venetowhere it has had to stop the movement of trains due to a short circuit caused by lightning strikes and heavy rains. the same in the Tuscanywhere the number of good heavens registered has reached 1,400 in three hours y the gusts of wind have reached the 105 kilometers per houras reported by the governor of this region, Eugenio Giani.

Bad weather has also caused a very strong hail in Ferrara, which even pierced the sheets of some solar panels, which has also damaged some cars that were under the infrastructure. “Here it is not a dent or a crack, but a destruction”, explained the agricultural entrepreneur Paola Pedroni.

For this reason, the mayor of Milan, Giuseppe Sala, has recognized the seriousness of the situation. “In 65 years I had never seen anything like it”, he has admitted. In this city, one of the measures adopted has been to close the parks and even the Sforzesco Castle, while the authorities of another city, Ravenna, have asked the citizens avoid all displacement not necessary.

The south, in flames

The situation in the south is radical and extremely distinct. In Sicily, until eleven in the morning, Palermo airport has been forced to interrupt their operations already closed because of the fires in the mountains adjacent. smoke and ashes they have also reached the Sicilian beach of Mondello, a well-known tourist town. “It has been a apocalyptic scene”, recounted a neighbor, who during the night saw her home threatened by the flames of the extensive fire that affected the area of ​​Capo Gallo.

Thus, due to the high temperatures, also a woman has died 88 years old in precarious health conditions in the outskirts of Palermo. The lifeguards did not manage to reach his house in time, as reported by the Italian newspaper ‘La Repubblica’. Whereas in Cataniaanother Sicilian city, various residents have denounced being without electricity or water.

The Italian Prime Minister, Giorgia Meloni, has extended her thanks to the rescue services. We knew that today would be a complicated day. We are in a situation where, despite the high temperatures, Canadair aircraft cannot be used for the strong winds”. Even so, he added in statements to RTL radio, “Civil Protection is mobilized, no firefighter has gone on vacation and I want to thank them,” he said.