“All the fragments were recovered and made safe” following the incident on Tuesday afternoon, a spokeswoman for the Colosseum archaeological park told AFP.
“Damage assessments have already begun and analyses are continuing this morning with a work site already operational,” she added.
The arch, built in 315AD to celebrate Emperor Constantine’s victory in the battle of Ponte Milvio, was already undergoing maintenance work, which had begun on Monday.
Standing about 25 metres high, it is the largest of three triumphal arches in Rome. It is located along the route followed by ancient triumphal processions, near the Colosseum.
After a hot, dry summer, the centre of Rome was hit by a sudden storm on Tuesday afternoon, bringing heavy rain, high winds, thunder and lightning.
More than 80 millimetres of rain per square metre fell on the historic centre – about the same amount that falls in a month in autumn on average, town hall officials said.
The storm caused flooding in some areas and winds of up to 90 kilometres per hour that brought down trees, it said.
Experts say climate change is shifting weather patterns and increasing the number of extreme weather events.
“It is increasingly evident that the issue of climate change and its impact on our lives is now unavoidable for everyone,” Rome mayor Roberto Gualtieri said.
Member comments