Giuseppa Maria Spampinato, a Catania-based government official, told CNN on Tuesday that the situation was “very serious”. From a view from his office window, Spampinato noted that the city’s main street – Via Etnea – appears to be completely submerged. Is.
On Monday, Italy’s civil protection department issued a red alert for flooding in north-eastern Sicily and the southwest region of Calabria – its highest level of warning. In view of the possibility of heavy rain for the second day also, a red alert was issued on Tuesday.
“A depression area persists over the central Mediterranean region and is causing bad weather conditions over the southern regions of the country,” the Italian government said on Monday.
Heavy rain and strong winds have affected southern Italy since Sunday, with the region recording half a meter (about 20 inches) of rain.
From Sunday to Tuesday morning the heaviest rainfall occurs in Linguaglosa, Sicily with 520.4 millimeters (20 in) and Fabrizia, Calabria with 440.2 millimeters (17 in). Catania reported 167 millimeters (7 in) in 24 hours, more than double the average October rainfall of 62.7 millimeters (2 in).
This region of the storm will move south of southern Italy, bringing continued rain and strong winds to the region, and then move into Sicily on Thursday, once again increasing the potential for heavy rain and strong winds.
Weather models are forecasting 100 to 150 millimeters It will rain from Wednesday to Friday, with more rain in the local areas.
Catania Mayor Salvo Pogliez has ordered schools and public gardens to remain closed on Tuesday because of the situation, according to Catania’s municipality website. Due to expected storms of “special intensity”, residents are also prohibited from stopping in areas that are subject to landslides and along coastal roadways.
Italy’s fire and rescue service, Vigli del Fuoco, said on Twitter on Tuesday that there were 250 callouts in Catania due to bad weather. The search is on for a missing woman in the Scordia commune of Catania after one man was found dead on Monday, the service said.
The head of the civil protection agency in Sicily, Salvo Cocina, told Reuters on camera on Monday: “Today, we continue the search for the missing. We have not yet recovered the body of the man but of the woman. It is about a kilometer away from where the car left. It rained 250 millimeters (9.8 inches) yesterday, which was really heavy. The roads were flooded and they could have left the car in panic, they may have stayed there. And they were swept away by the wrath of the waters.
In the region of Calabria, there were 140 callouts at Reggio Calabria, 52 at Cosenza, 49 at Vibo Valentia. More than 300 firefighters are engaged in flood related works.
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