Landslides and floods are washing away roads overlooking Lake Como in northern Italy, where there are fears severe storms could cause a “disaster”.
- Strong winds and torrential rain hit northern Italy over the weekend
Landslides and flooding have washed away roads overlooking Lake Como in northern Italy, where there are fears severe storms could cause a “disaster”.
Cyclone Poppea struck the Ligurian Sea from northern Europe and will sweep across all northern regions of the country.
Strong winds and heavy rains have caused widespread flooding and devastation in Italy and Spain over the weekend.
The whirlpool hit northern Italy, first in Lombardy on Saturday, where severe storms uprooted trees and damaged roofs, before spilling over to Liguria on Sunday.
Heavy rains in the past few hours have caused a landslide in Blevio, in the province of Como in northern Italy. Video shows a river of debris and muddy water pouring down the slope towards the flooded road.
Landslides and flooding are washing away roads overlooking Lake Como in northern Italy
The video shows a river of debris and muddy water flowing down the slope towards the flooded road in Blevio in the province of Como in northern Italy
A river of muddy water flowing towards the road in Blevio. Heavy rain and landslides caused damage in the area, and the fire brigade was on site
Another video shows torrential rain sweeping across the port of Trieste in northern Italy as motorists brave strong winds.
Additional footage shows firefighters evacuating people from a flooded underpass in Genoa, in the Liguria region, as the city cleans up after heavy rain on Sunday.
There is also a significant risk of flooding in Piedmont and Lombardy.
The cyclone is forecast to have started its path towards central-southern Italy, with severe thunderstorms reported in Puglia, particularly along the Adriatic coastal areas.
Meanwhile, train services between France and Italy have been suspended until Thursday at the earliest following a massive rockslide in the Maurienne Valley in the French Alps.
The falling rocks also blocked some roads, officials said Monday.
Another video shows torrential rain sweeping across the port of Trieste, in northern Italy
In Trieste, northern Italy, motorists brave the fierce winds and rain
Weather in northern Italy on Monday at 2:20 p.m. Heavy rains are expected in the north-west, particularly in Liguria, and heavy thunderstorms also hit the north-east and Lombardy later in the afternoon
The Frejus Tunnel, which connects France and Italy under the Alps, has also been closed to heavy trucks. Instead, drivers are advised to use the Mont Blanc tunnel or the A8 motorway.
Spain’s Mediterranean coast was battered by torrential rain and high winds on Sunday, causing property damage and hampering several flights.
Gusts of up to 120 km/h, downpours and occasional hailstorms hit the Balearic Islands and the regions of Catalonia and Valencia, some of which were put on orange alert by the National Meteorological Agency for all three regions on Sunday.