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Storms and flooding storms have caused sometimes chaotic conditions in southeastern France and northern Italy. Also in Austria and Switzerland, wind and rain caused great damage on weekends, in Lower Austria – as reported – A branch killed a four-year-old boy while he was walking.
In Italy at least two people died and two more were still missing. He was initially unsure if a person who was rescued in the coastal city of San Remo on Sunday also died from the storm. In the mountainous interior of the French metropolis on vacation nice at least eight people were considered missing, news of others was missing. There is great concern about the final death toll, as Prime Minister Jean Castex said during a visit to the crisis region.
In the Switzerland The low brought huge amounts of rain on Saturday, the A2 highway was closed for hours due to flooding. In a Ticino valley, according to the SRF broadcaster, the second highest rainfall ever recorded in Switzerland was measured at 421 millimeters in 24 hours.
Roquebilliere in southeastern France
Photo: NICOLAS TUCAT (AFP)
“Catastrophic situation” in Piedmont
In the french department Maritime alps and in North italy Cleaning was taking place on Sunday. Around 1,000 firefighters and the army were deployed in France. In Italy’s Piedmont region, roads and bridges were damaged and cities were flooded, for example in Limone Piemonte in the province of Cuneo. The mayor spoke of a “catastrophic situation.” The Piedmont and Liguria regions complained of damages worth millions.
Garessio, Piedmont (Italy)
Photo: VINCENZO PINTO (AFP)
“As if the area had been bombed”
In the mountains north of Nice, the villages were no longer accessible. The telephone network had collapsed. Thousands of homes were without power. Rescuers brought food and water to the region. Remi Recio, chief of the local prefect’s closest staff, spoke of a “meteorological bomb” that fell on the department on Friday. From the helicopter he saw scenes similar to the war. “It gives the impression that the area has been bombed.”
The houses were washed away by the masses of water. There is still great uncertainty: “Currently we do not know if the houses were occupied or vacation homes,” Recio told the Franceinfo news channel. He said of the eight missing people that there were testimonies that they had disappeared in the floods.
Prime Minister Castex and Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin visited the Alpes-Maritimes department on Saturday. Castex assured the population of its support. On Wednesday the cabinet will declare a state of disaster for the affected communities. Among other things, this facilitates compensation. The south of France has been battered by storms for years. In the fall of last year, 14 people died. The densely urbanized Côte d’Azur was hit by strong storms exactly five years ago, 20 people died at that time.
Roquebilliere in southeastern France
Photo: VALERY HACHE (AFP)
More rain than in 60 years
In Italy, a 53-year-old volunteer firefighter from the Arnad municipality in the Aosta Valley died after being struck by a fallen tree during a rescue operation. A 36-year-old driver from Vercelli was washed away by river water on a broken road. Sometimes it rained more Saturday in northwestern Italy than it had for about 60 years. Places full of mud and water. Cars were washed away by rivers. The power was cut for thousands of people. Authorities continued to warn of flooding.
In Venice, the new MOSE flood protection system was put into operation in a real danger situation for the first time on Saturday. The floodgates of the floodgates were erected in the openings of the lagoon. On Sunday, media reports said MOSE had shown an effect: Despite rising water levels, St. Mark’s Square in the center remained dry.
Video recordings from South Tyrol:
