Nine dead in northern Italy floods, landslides

Nine people died and thousands were evacuated from their homes as torrential rain battered Italy’s northern Emilia-Romagna region, triggering floods and landslides, officials said on Wednesday.

Civil protection minister Nello Musumeci said some areas had received half their average annual rainfall in 36 hours, causing rivers to burst their banks, sending water through towns and submerging thousands of hectares of farmland.

Sunday’s Formula One Grand Prix in Imola, which is close to many of the worst-hit areas, was called off in an effort to relieve pressure on emergency services.

“We are facing catastrophic events that have probably not been seen before,” Emilia-Romagna region president Stefano Bonaccini said.

“Extraordinary amounts of rain have fallen on land no longer capable of absorbing it.”

The Adriatic coastal city of Ravenna, famed for its early Christian heritage sites, was badly affected.

The local interior ministry representative said some 14,000 people would have to be evacuated from the area as soon as possible.

Authorities said flooding had hit 37 towns and communities and about 120 landslides had been registered.

At least one bridge, near the city of Bologna, collapsed, some roads were undermined by floodwaters and many rail services were suspended.

Nine bodies had been retrieved from various locations, Bonaccini said.

Irene Priolo, vice-president of the region, said though the rains were easing, river levels were still rising.

Musumeci said he would ask the cabinet to find €20m (R420m) for the affected area when it met on May 23 to consider relief measures.

“It’s probably been the worst night in the history of Romagna,” Ravenna mayor Michele de Pascale told RAI public radio, saying 5,000 people were evacuated from his city.