The cold front that swept across Europe in recent days brought intense precipitation in addition to significant cooling.
The most serious situation prevailed in the north of Italy, where torrential rains caused extensive floods. The region of Friuli-Venezia Giulia was the most affected, where up to 200 millimeters of rain fell in places. The rescue work was also complicated by the strong wind, which continued to destroy infrastructure and block communications.
In the village of Cormons near the town of Gorizia, 152 millimeters of rain fell in the morning. The heavy rains triggered a massive landslide that tore down three houses. According to the newspaper la Repubblica, two bodies were found in the ruins without signs of life, one person survived the disaster.
Aerial footage from Italian firefighters also shows the flooded village of Romans d’Isonzo after the nearby Torre river overflowed. Residents had to seek refuge on the roofs of houses, where they waited for rescue teams. The floods affected a wider area and required hundreds of evacuations.
The precipitation system is now moving further south. During the week, it will especially affect the west coast of Italy and the Balkan Peninsula, where meteorologists also warn of floods.
