Storm Boris: Heavy flooding in northern Italy

Over the past week, Storm Boris has wreaked havoc across Central and Eastern Europe. Strong winds and heavy rain have caused widespread damage in Poland, the Czech Republic, Austria and Romania, with several people killed.

The storm has now moved into northern Italy. In the Emilia Romagna region, heavy rains on Thursday night caused flooding and landslides.

“The situation is very serious,” the mayor of Modigliana, a town a few miles southeast of Bologna, told Italian news agency ANSA.

At least 1 000 people were forced Evacuating their homes, and during the past 24 hours, the rescue service carried out several hundred rescue operations using helicopters and reports, among others. The Guardian.

Schools across Emilia Romagna remain closed and train services have been severely curtailed due to the weather. Many roads have been closed due to landslides.

– We are in a state of emergency, the situation is very similar to the one we experienced in May last year, Michele De Pascale, mayor of the coastal city of Ravenna, tells Radio 24.

The Emilia Romagna region was severely damaged by flooding in May 2023 when at least 17 people died.

There have been no reports of deaths or injuries so far due to the new storm, which is expected to reach its peak on Thursday.

In Eastern Europe it has been last week. The floods were the worst in two decades. At least 24 people died, seven in Romania, seven in the Czech Republic, five in Poland and five in Austria.

Storm Boris caused extensive damage, including destroyed roads and bridges, estimated to be worth several billion euros, according to the Guardian.