Landslides and floods wash away roads overlooking Lake Como in northern Italy where it’s feared severe storms could cause ‘disaster’
Landslides and floods wash away roads overlooking Lake Como in northern Italy where it's feared severe storms could cause 'disaster'
- Strong winds and torrential rain have swept across northern Italy
Landslides and floods have washed away roads overlooking Lake Como in northern Italy[2] where it is feared that severe storms could cause 'disaster'.
The Poppea cyclone struck from Northern Europe on the Ligurian Sea and is set to tear across all of the country's northern regions.
Powerful winds and heavy rain over the weekend caused widespread flooding and devastation in Italy and Spain[3].
The maelstrom hit northern Italy, first in Lombardy on Saturday, when heavy storms uprooted trees and damaged roofs, before moving to Liguria on Sunday.
Heavy rain on Monday caused a landslide in Blevio, in the province of Como in northern Italy, with video showing a river of debris and muddy water cascading down the hillside towards the flooded street.
Landslides and floods wash away roads overlooking Lake Como in northern Italy
Video shows a river of debris and muddy water flowing down the hillside towards the flooded street in Blevio, in the province of Como, northern Italy
A river of muddy water running towards a road in Blevio. Heavy rain and landslides have caused damage in the area
In another video, torrential rain can be seen sweeping across the port in Trieste in northern Italy as motorists brave the heavy winds.
Further footage shows firefighters carrying people to safety from a flooded underpass in Genoa, located in the Liguria region, and a cleanup operation underway in the city after heavy rain on Sunday.
The rainfall caused widespread flooding of roads, leading to the temporary closure of the city subway.
The severe conditions also caused major disruptions to national transport connections, with Italian road and motorway operator Anas announcing the closure of three major roads in Lombardy and Piemonte, where there remains a notable flood risk.
The cyclone has started its path towards central southern Italy, according to forecasts, with severe thunderstorms reported in Puglia, especially along the Adriatic coastal areas.
Meanwhile, train services between France and Italy have been stopped until Thursday at the earliest after a massive rockslide in the Maurienne valley in the French Alps.
The rockslide also blocked some of the roads, officials said on Monday.
Another video shows torrential rain sweeping across the port in Trieste, northern Italy
Motorists can be seen braving the heavy winds and rainy conditions in Trieste
A weather map of northern Italy at 2.20pm on Monday
The Frejus tunnel connecting France and Italy under the Alps has also been closed to heavy trucks, with drivers being advised to use the Mont Blanc tunnel or the A8 motorway instead.
Spain's Mediterranean coastline was struck on Sunday by heavy rain and strong winds, which caused material damage and disrupted several flights.
Gusts of up to 120 km/h, downpours and occasional bouts of hail hit the Balearic Islands and the Catalonia and Valencia regions, all three of which were placed partially under orange alert on Sunday by the National Meteorological Agency.