Floods and landslides trigger emergency evacuations in northwest Italy

Flash flooding and mud landslides triggered multiple emergency evacuations in Italy’s Piedmont and Valle d’Aosta regions on Sunday after the northwest was battered by persistent torrential rainfall over the weekend.

Authorities in the Cogne valley, southern Valle d’Aosta, evacuated some 300 people by helicopter after overflowing watercourses flooded the main local road and damaged the water supply network, according to Italian news agency Ansa.

A further 120 people were being evacuated in Alpe Veglia, in Piedmont’s Verbano-Cusio-Ossola area, on Sunday afternoon after the Anza river burst its banks.

Flash flooding caused “millions of euros’ worth of damage” in the popular mountain resort of Cervinia, Valle d’Aosta, according to deputy mayor Massimo Chatrian.

Besides northwest Italy, torrential rains also lashed parts of France and Switzerland over the weekend, leaving seven people dead.

Florence awaits decisive court decision on contested ‘Airbnb ban’

Tuscany’s regional administrative tribunal (TAR) is expected to rule on an appeal filed against Florence’s contested ‘Airbnb ban’ at the start of this week, Il Sole 24 Ore newspaper reported on Sunday.

Florence authorities banned new short-term tourist lets, including Airbnb rentals, in the city’s historic centre last October under efforts to free up homes for residents and tackle a long-standing shortage of affordable housing.

But consumer associations lodged an appeal against the ban shortly after its approval, raising questions over the measure’s legitimacy. 

Tuscany’s regional tribunal was originally expected to make a ruling on the appeal on May 9th, but the decision was later postponed to allow for further deliberation.

Spalletti to remain Italy coach despite Euro 2024 humbling

Luciano Spalletti will stay on as the coach of Italy’s national football team despite the Azzurri’s humbling elimination from Euro 2024, the head of the Italian football federation Gabriele Gravina said on Sunday according to AFP.

Italy were knocked out of the Euros at the last 16 stage after being beaten 2-0 by Switzerland in Berlin on Saturday, but a disastrous title defence has not cost Spalletti his job.

“I’m pragmatic, it’s impossible to resolve problems by abandoning a long-term project or by abandoning the coach and players who have accompanied us in this project,” Gravina told reporters.

Italy came into the Euros as reigning champions but flopped in Germany under Spalletti, who replaced Euro 2020 winner Roberto Mancini last summer.

Italy will begin their Nations League campaign against France in Paris on September 6th.