After Heat Wave: Storms Trigger Mudslides and Flooding in South Tyrol and Northern Italy

Emergency Services Working at Full Capacity

Firefighters, civil protection and authorities are working at full capacity to remove several hundred cubic meters of material in the shortest possible time in order to prevent further slides of the debris masses and to protect the population as best as possible. "The situation is tense, as material can still slide down from the slope and further strong thunderstorms are forecast for Monday and the coming days," the emergency services warned.

Severe storms on Sunday evening also hit the Lombard Alpine regions of Valtellina and Valchiavenna, significantly disrupting rail and road traffic. "Numerous basements and garages filled with water," authorities reported. "Several roads had to be temporarily closed due to smaller landslides." Rail traffic was also interrupted.

Lombardy and Piedmont Also Affected

Heavy rain locally led to flooded streets, particularly in the city of Turin as well as in large parts of the provinces of Turin, Cuneo and Alessandria in the northern Italian region of Piedmont. Severe thunderstorms and cloudbursts had hit large parts of Piedmont on Sunday evening.

The day before the storms, a heat wave had gripped large parts of Italy. In Turin, temperatures of up to 38 degrees were measured, in Alessandria the thermometer rose to 40 degrees. In Rome and Naples as well, around 40 degrees Celsius were reached.

Heat Wave Claims First Fatality

In Sardinia, a 75-year-old man died on the beach of Cala Liberotto after suffering a collapse under a sun umbrella. The incident highlighted the dangers of extreme temperatures for elderly people, who reportedly collapsed under a sun umbrella on the beach.

The contrast between extreme heat and consequential storms also made itself felt during the return journey after the weekend. Thousands of day-trippers returning from the mountains had to expect significant disruptions to rail and road traffic on Sunday. Travelers in the affected Alpine regions needed patience.

Climate Refuges as a Protective Measure

In view of the ongoing heat wave, numerous Italian cities are expanding their protective measures for particularly vulnerable population groups. Free swimming pools, air-conditioned libraries and museums as well as public buildings are increasingly serving as so-called "climate refuges."

Weather services expect the tense situation to continue in the coming days. Further strong thunderstorms and precipitation were forecast for Monday and the following days, so new complications are to be expected in the flooding and mudslide areas. The emergency services remained on heightened alert, according to the authorities.

In Poland, meanwhile, a temperature record of 40.5 degrees Celsius was also registered, underscoring the extent of the heat wave beyond Italy. Meteorologists attribute the extreme weather situation to a pronounced high-pressure system over Southeastern Europe.