Italy’s top story on Thursday:
Large parts of Italy’s northeastern Emilia Romagna region were hit by severe flooding in the night between Wednesday and Thursday as torrential rain continued to batter the area, Italian media reported.
The prefect of Ravenna, a province located in Emilia Romagna’s southeastern corner, said some 800 residents had been evacuated from their homes after local rivers burst their banks overnight, according to Ansa.
Another 165 people were evacuated in the Bologna province, Ansa said.
Irene Priolo, the acting president of the Emilia Romagna region, on Wednesday advised people to “avoid travelling”.
“I also ask that all workers who can work remotely tomorrow avoid travelling and stay in their homes,” she added.
Italy’s Civil Protection department on Thursday issued a high-level ‘red’ weather warning for four Emilia Romagna provinces – Bologna, Forlì-Cesena, Rimini and Ravenna.
Schools in the above provinces were set to remain closed on Thursday, according to media reports.
A ‘red’ warning is the most severe type of alert under Italy’s weather alert system. Rivers in the affected areas are likely to overflow and divert from their normal paths, potentially causing flooding even in areas far from waterways, according to Italy’s Civil Protection.
Firefighter dies in Foggia floods
A firefighter was found dead in the province of Foggia, Puglia, on Wednesday morning after the vehicle he was driving was swept away by floodwaters late on Tuesday, Ansa reported.
The man was part of a team of fire service officers that were assisting motorists on a state road between San Severo and Apricena after hours of torrential rain caused flooding in the area.
The firefighter was on board an off-road vehicle with a colleague when the car was suddenly swept away by floodwaters.
The other firefighter managed to get out of the vehicle and was rescued by his colleagues.
Italian interior minister Matteo Piantedosi said he was “deeply saddened by the tragic death” and expressed “the most heartfelt condolences” to the victim’s family.
Two-seater plane reported missing in Tuscany
A two-seater plane that departed from Pavullo nel Frignano, near Modena, Emilia Romagna, on Tuesday morning was reported missing, Ansa reported on Wednesday.
The plane’s last radar signal was registered near Sassalbo, in the province of Massa Carrara, Tuscany, local authorities said.
Search operations carried out by the Alpine Rescue Service, Carabinieri police and Italy’s Air Force were made difficult by severe weather conditions in the area, authorities said.
The plane was originally headed to France according to Italian media reports.
Italy to overtake France as world’s largest wine producer
Italy was set to regain its spot as the world’s largest wine producer in 2024 as France’s vineyards were hit by unfavourable weather, according to figures from each country’s agricultural authorities.
After a disastrous 2023 harvest, Italy’s production will produce between 41 and 42 million hectolitres of wine, the country’s main agricultural association Coldiretti said on Wednesday.
France’s agriculture ministry estimated earlier this month that French production will fall by 18 percent to 39.3 million hectolitres.
Coldiretti noted that this year’s output in Italy was still expected to be below average as different parts of the country dealt with either heavy rainfall or months-long droughts.
Italy has been the world’s top wine producer every year since 2007 except for 2011, 2014 and 2023, when it was pipped by France, according to the International Organisation of Vine and Wine (OIV).
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