By Emily Jane Davies
09:57 30 Jun 2024, updated 12:59 30 Jun 2024
Share or comment on this article:
Torrential downpours and extreme heatwaves are causing cars to be washed down roads and leaving landscapes devastated in weather chaos raging across Europe.
In the Lanzo Valleys, north-west Italy, it has been raining for more than ten hours and the Stura River has swollen above safe levels, according to the Lastampa news site.
Meanwhile, in Lago della Torre, several landslides occurred and a shepherd was stuck at about 150 meters above sea level before being heroically rescued by firefighters.
Seven families who were at risk in two buildings near the Vassola stream had to be evacuated after it turned into a raging torrent.
Pictures from Sierre, Switzerland, show major flooding and a submerged motorway after The Rhone River overflowed following huge storms.
In Greece, a 55-year-old volunteer firefighter tragically lost his life after 45 wildfires broke out within hours of each other last week in an extreme heatwave reaching 42C.
Pictured is the flooding in Piedmont and Valle d’Aosta in Italy after hours of rain The flooding in Noasca, Italy is seen above with raging water flooding the roads An aerial view of an area affected by the flood of the Secchia river in Modena, northern Italy A firefighting helicopter is pictured as a wildfire raged on Mount Parnitha, near Athens, Greece, yesterday as bad weather tears through Europe A firefighting helicopter makes a water drop, during a wildfire in Katsimidi, near the Parnitha mountain, Greece, yesterday Rhone River overflows the street following storms in Sierre, Switzerland
Violent storms hit a large area of western Canavese, and in the Orco valley, the Noaschetta river swelled so much that the famous waterfall at the gates of the town ‘jumped’ the entrance bridge to the town centre and forced the closure of a main road.
A similar incident saw villages swept away in the Cogne valley due to intense rain.
Across Lake Garda, Emilia-Romagna and Parma, heavy rainfall saw cars swept away, and entire streets and residential districts left underwater.
A thunderstorm near the town of Rovigo in Veneto fell victim to a tornado which tore through the area, tearing off roofs and uprooting trees.
Switzerland was badly hit by similar weather on Friday, with downpours of more than 100mm in some areas.
As the flash floods hit, some locals had their cars and houses swept away. It has been reported that at least one person has died.
The Rhone River in Sierre is overflowing the A9 motorway following storms in Europe Pictured are the flooded areas of Sierre in Switzerland after storms tore through the area The ruined scenes left over after a wildfire in Katsimidi, near the Parnitha mountain in Greece The fields and roads which were left underwater after the Secchia river in Modena, northern Italy, flooded from the heavy rainfall
The resort of Zermatt – renowned for skiing, climbing and hiking – was completely cut off due to the flood water and transport chaos.
In Greece, a severe fire alert is in place after a spate of wildfires and several villages have been evacuated as a precautionary measure.
According to the BBC, a water-bombing aircraft was deployed to extinguish a wildfire on the outskirts of Athens, with some residents evacuated.
A wildfire fanned by gale-force winds raged uncontrolled on the Greek island of Serifos earlier today, prompting authorities to order several hamlets to evacuate.
Nearly a dozen firefighters with four fire engines battled the fire on the Aegean island that broke out on low vegetation but spread quickly amid strong winds.
With hot, windy conditions across much of the country, about 50 wildfires broke out on Saturday and authorities advised people to stay out of forest areas.
A wildfire in a mountainous forest area just outside the Greek capital eased earlier on Saturday but some 160 firefighters were still battling to extinguish the flames, officials said.
Citizens watch as smoke rises from Mount Parnitha during a wildfire, north Attica, Greece A firefighting helicopter drops water to put out a wildfire on Mount Parnitha yesterday The floods in Cervinia, Valle d’Aosta, due to heavy rainfall today The aftermath of Cervinia – an Alpine resort in the Valle d’Aosta region of northwest Italy
Gusts exceeding 100 kph (62 mph) hampered their efforts to contain the fire on Mount Parnitha, some 20 km (12 miles) north of Athens, which had threatened to spread to a nature reserve, while water-carrying plans stopped operating through the night.
‘The fire has no active front but we still have a long way to go and will work on it all night,’ Civil Protection Minister Vassilis Kikilias said in a televised statement.
More than 40 people died in Algeria, Italy and Greece last year due to the extreme weather.
After last summer’s deadly forest fires and following its warmest winter on record, Greece developed a new doctrine, which includes deploying an extra fire truck to each new blaze, speeding up air support and clearing forests.
A big part of Mount Parnitha’s nature reserve, full of pines and fir trees, was destroyed by a large fire in 2007.
Source link : https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-13584711/amp/Europes-weather-meltdown-Cars-washed-road-huge-floods-hit-Italy-Switzerland-torrential-downpours-batter-continent-extreme-42C-heatwave.html
Author :
Publish date : 2024-06-30 04:57:01
Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.