North-Central Italy Sees Floods, Road Closures After Heavy Rains

Floods engulfed parts of north-central Italy from overflowing rivers following days of heavy rain, prompting the state-led road operator to close some expressways.

Severe flooding was seen in the region of Emilia Romagna on Sunday. One person was reported missing, likely after a car was swept away by high waters near Pianora, south of Bologna, according to the Ansa newswire.

Italy’s civil protection service summoned its operational committee to coordinate a timely response, it said in a statement on Sunday morning. Over 3,000 people have been evacuated in Emilia Romagna,the head of civil protection service Fabio Ciciliano said in an interview to state television Rai.

Extreme weather events are increasingly hitting the country, with Emilia Romagna, a region that includes the cities of Modena, Ravena and Parma as well as Bologna, grappling with its fourth such conditions in less than two years. In May 2023, at least 17 people were killed by flooding and landslides in the region.

Italy has paved the way for mandatory catastrophe insurance for small-and-medium companies, local media reported.

Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said she’s closely monitoring the situation in Emilia Romagna as well in other locations, according to statement on X.

Seguo con grande attenzione le conseguenze del maltempo che sta colpendo diverse zone della nostra Nazione, in particolare nel bolognese. Il mio pensiero e la mia vicinanza vanno ai familiari della vittima di Pianoro. Resto in costante contatto con il Ministro Nello Musumeci e il…

— Giorgia Meloni (@GiorgiaMeloni) October 20, 2024

The state-led road operator Anas closed some expressways and roads in Emilia Romagna and other northern and central regions, including Liguria and Marche.

Situazione ora a #Catania
[Video: Rosanna Sapienza ] pic.twitter.com/zj9zH68Aa5
— 3B Meteo (@3BMeteo) October 19, 2024

Italy’s southern region of Sicily, some 1,000 kilometers to the south of Emilia Romagna, also saw road closures from flooding over the weekend.