Expats And Locals In Northern Italy Suffering Freak Storms And Torrential Rain

Global warming has caused massive storms and evacuations in northern Italy. In yet another demonstration of the increasing risk of global warming,

Italy’s Lake Como and its surrounding mountainous areas have experienced severe storms resulting in flooding, mud slides and evacuations of expats and locals alike. One small town to the east of the lake declared a state of emergency as the Varrone river burst its banks for the second time over the last several months. Massive mud slides covered cars, damaged properties and blocked roads, with emergency services including mountain rescuers and firefighters working all night to get residents to safety.

Further east in Italy’s Alpine region, gales, hail and more mudslides were reported, and Bolzano city suffered winds of up to 72km/h as well as 27 millimetres of rain in the worst storm since 2008. Strong storms are predicted to continue, and Italy’s Lombard region is partially on orange alert for further risk of severe flooding. The extreme weather isn’t just confined to the country’s northern regions as Sicily is now caught in a 41 degree Celsius heatwave, adding to the freak northern weather patterns responsible for millions of euros’ worth of damage to agriculture and disruption to expats’ and locals’ lives as well as several deaths.

Orchards as well as tobacco and corn plantations have been devastated by heavy rain and hail. Northern Italy is a favourite destination for expats from other European countries including the UK, with many preferring to avoid the tourist hordes and summer heat in the central and southern coastal regions. From gently rolling hills to the soaring Alpine peaks, small towns and country villages have seen expats from the UK and other European states arriving and settling down to a peaceful lifestyle. It’s uncertain how many are being affected by climate change but, according to recent forecasts it can only get worse unless drastic measures are taken.