Status: 01/23/2023 3:54 p.m
It even snowed in Sicily: Unusually cold temperatures have caused heavy snowfall in large parts of Italy. On the Adriatic coast, residents are being evacuated due to flooding.
Where otherwise mild temperatures prevail at this time of year, the onset of winter causes snow chaos, flooding and frost. A bad weather front in Italy has led to flooding on the Adriatic coast, heavy snowfall paralyzed traffic.
snowfall across the country
In the southernmost regions of Apulia and Basilicata, it snowed heavily at the start of the week. Schools were closed in many places for safety reasons. Some snow also fell in the Sicilian province of Siracusa. A new heat record of 48.8 degrees Celsius was measured here in the summer.
Heavy snowfall also caused traffic chaos in central Italy: In Perugia, the capital of the Umbria region, a number of roads were closed because they could not initially be cleared. According to the Ansa news agency, the masses of snow in the Valmarecchia valley reached a height of up to two meters. The authorities warned of avalanches. More snowfall is also expected in the South Tyrol ski region in northern Italy.
Floods on the Adriatic coast
Heavy rainfall has led to flooding on the Adriatic coast. Civil protection issued the second highest warning level for the Emilia-Romagna and Marche regions. In and around the town of Senigallia, where twelve people died in autumn storms, the authorities asked residents to go to higher floors.
On the island of Ischia, too, the authorities warned people about flooding and asked around 400 residents to leave their homes. Twelve people died here in landslides at the end of November.
Flood in Venice
A flood of 125 centimeters is expected in Venice. In order to protect the city center and St. Mark’s Square, all flood protection gates in front of the city have already been extended.
Ferries from Sicily and Calabria to the Aeolian Islands are now running again after being suspended for more than 40 hours due to bad weather. The village of Ginostra on the volcanic island of Stromboli was initially cut off from the outside world.