Italian officials assured that water was isolating cities and flooding homes in the country, a disaster that has forced the displacement of 36,000 people.
Violent rain earlier this week killed 14 people and turned roads into rivers across cities and towns in the Emilia Romagna region. Officials extended the Red Climate Alert until Sunday, May 21.
Italy’s prime minister, Giorgia Meloni, assured this Saturday, May 20, that she plans to leave the G7 summit in Japan earlier than planned in order to attend in an emergency.
“Frankly, I cannot live so far from Italy at such a complicated moment,” he said in the statement to the press. He also thanked the work of 5,000 people, both volunteers and professional rescue workers, who mobilized to help those affected by the floods.
In addition, he thanked the other G7 leaders for their support.
Meloni is expected to tour Italy’s worst-affected areas on Sunday.
The floods have caused 305 landslides and closed more than 500 roads and tracks in the region.
Mauro Lodola, a resident of the affected areas, described the situation to the AFP agency as follows: “The water started coming from the fields at 2:00 pm on Friday.” “It’s tough. I just want it to end so I can move on.”
Lodola’s house is completely destroyed, there is water around the fridge in the kitchen and the mattress in her bedroom is soaked.
