Italy's South Drenched: Landslides, Floods, Tornadoes Unleash Chaos

Southern Italy is currently experiencing a severe weather crisis, marked by widespread landslides, flash flooding, and tornadoes, primarily affecting the Calabria region. In Cosenza, the treacherous conditions led to significant landslides, forcing the evacuation of eighty residents from public housing in the historic center. Footage revealed hillsides giving way, with rocks and debris inundating everything in their path. Flash floods have transformed streets into raging rivers, submerging lower levels of buildings and sweeping away vehicles as local rivers overflowed their banks. The Civil Protection department has issued an orange alert for the regions of Basilicata, Calabria, and Sicily, anticipating persistent rain, thunderstorms, gale-force winds, and localized hailstorms. A school in Capistrano experienced a partial collapse of its rear atrium, leading to the suspension of classes. The most critical situations are reported in Corigliano, Mirto, Rossano, Calopezzati, Pietrapaola, and Mandatoriccio, areas experiencing floods, landslides, and severe traffic disruptions, with emergency services responding to over 100 pending interventions. Calabria alone recorded over 200 millimeters of rain within a 24-hour period. Additionally, strong winds damaged a warehouse belonging to a coffee company, though no injuries were reported. This extreme weather follows damage from Cyclone Harry in other areas. Traffic disruptions are widespread, including a car trapped in an underpass in Catanzaro. In Mesoraca, fifteen families were evacuated following a large landslide. Looking ahead, temperatures are expected to drop significantly in the east, with possible snow at lower altitudes near the Apennines.