Furious weather hits Italy, schools close and flooding reported in Rome

Various regions of Italy have been hit by intense rainfall and storms, which have caused flooding, fallen trees and material damage.

An orange alert has been activated in Tuscany, while a yellow alert remains in effect in Abruzzo, Basilicata, Campania, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Lazio, Liguria, Lombardy, Marche, Molise, Puglia and Umbria.

Due to the heavy rainfall of recent hours, several Tuscan municipalities have ordered the closure of parks, kindergartens and cemeteries. In certain areas, school activities have also been suspended.

Schools were not opened in Livorno, Pistoia and several other towns in the provinces. The same measures have been implemented in Carrara, where access to beaches has been banned.

Several municipalities in Lunigiana, as well as areas in Grosseto and various parts of Maremma, have also closed institutions and public spaces.

In Lucca, the mayor has also ordered the closure of the city’s historic walls. Meanwhile, in Viareggio, a segment of the Viale dei Tigli boulevard is impassable.

The overnight storm in Viareggio severely damaged the roof of a kindergarten and also caused problems in several homes.

In Florence, parks, gardens and cemeteries have been closed. In Prato, the restrictions include kindergartens, sports facilities, bicycle paths and cemeteries.

Rome and its surrounding province also faced a powerful storm overnight.

Firefighter data shows that around 120 interventions were carried out. Most cases involved fallen trees and branches, damage to telephone network poles and water entering homes.

The operations room of the fire brigade command continues to receive numerous calls from citizens. Emergency teams are intervening and taking measures to ensure safety in the affected areas.

Authorities are monitoring the situation continuously, while rainfall and unstable weather are expected to continue affecting several regions of Italy.