Tens of thousands of Italians were displaced by floods

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: News Agencies
20 May 2023 23:43

A helicopter involved in attempts to restore electricity crashed Saturday, injuring one of the four people on board, the fire service reported.

People are rescued in Faenza, Italy, May 18, 2023 (AP Photo/Luca Bruno, File)

Around 36,000 people were forcibly displaced from their houses by the recent floods in northeast Italy, officials announced.

Rising waters demolished houses and violent downpours have reportedly resulted in the death of 14 people. Authorities extended the red weather alert until Sunday in light of the persistent downpouring rain.

"Frankly I cannot remain so far from Italy in such a complex moment," Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said: noting that she would be leaving the G7 summit early to deal with the emergency.

Older and disabled individuals were stranded in their houses as rescuers worked through the night to save people in the worst floods to hit Italy in 100 years.

The floodwaters in northern Emilia-Romagna have killed 13 people, with many more still missing as of Thursday morning. An estimated 20,000 people have been displaced as a result of the calamity, which has caused 23 rivers to burst their banks and 280 landslides to envelop 41 cities and towns.