Flooding, which has killed at least 13 people in northern Italy’s Emilia-Romagna region, has caused billions of euros price of harm and hit agriculture particularly hard, the region’s governor said on Thursday.
Torrential rains this week devastated the eastern a part of the region, often called Romagna, causing as much as 300 landslides, 23 swollen rivers, around 400 damaged or destroyed roads and 42 flooded municipalities.
“We face a recent earthquake,” the president of Emilia-Romagna, Stefano Bonaccini, told reporters, recalling the seismic events that struck the region in 2012, destroying 1000’s of homes.
Noting that “almost every thing” has since been rebuilt, Bonaccini said, “This experience has shown us that it could be done, and we are going to rebuild every thing (again), I’m sure of it.”
The death toll rose to 13 on Thursday when 4 more bodies were found.
![An Italian flag covered in mud flies in a flooded street after heavy rains in the Italian region of Emilia Romagna](https://nypost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/05/NYPICHPDPICT000011290918.jpg?w=1024)
![Flood in Romagna](https://nypost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/05/NYPICHPDPICT000011301817.jpg?w=1024)
Within the small town of Russi, two people aged 73 and 71 were found dead together in their home, local authorities said.
In accordance with the farming association Coldiretti, greater than 5,000 farms were left under water in the region, which incorporates the so-called “Fruit Valley”, in addition to fields of corn and cereals.
“We’ve already estimated almost €1 billion in damage (on account of these floods), so imagine how much that number will increase” with the brand new disaster, Bonaccini said, adding that it was too early to offer exact numbers.
Floods is the last in the series extreme weather events which have hit Italy over the past yr, as once exceptional disasters have turn out to be a traditional a part of life.
![Castel Bolognese, Italy, flood](https://nypost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/05/NYPICHPDPICT000011292558.jpg?w=1024)
![A man sits next to items displaced by flooding after heavy rains hit the Italian region of Emilia-Romagna](https://nypost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/05/NYPICHPDPICT000011291366.jpg?w=1024)
The federal government has promised a further €20 million ($22 million) in emergency aid, on top of the €10 million allocated in response to previous floods two weeks ago, in which at least two people died.
Manufacturer of luxury Ferrari sports cars (RACE.MI)based in Emilia-Romagna, announced a donation of €1 million.
No electricity
At least 10,000 people were forced to depart their homes, and a lot of those that stayed in flooded areas were left without electricity. One in all the dead was kidnapped from her home and washed up on a beach about 20 km away.
Because the floods disrupted road and rail transport across the region, airport employees’ unions agreed to postpone the strike scheduled for Friday at the federal government’s request.
In the town of Cesena, the rain has stopped and the waters have largely receded, allowing locals to regain access to their damaged homes, including couple Maurizio Cola and Raffaelli Zanni who fled early Wednesday.
“We needed to throw every thing away, nothing was saved. The water has come all the way in which here. The bed expanded with the water,” Cola told Reuters as Zanni wiped away her tears as she mourned the lack of considered one of her most treasured possessions: her wedding album.
“All of the memories,” Cola said.
“Done,” added Zanni.
Sunday’s Formula 1 Grand Prix in Imola, which is near most of the hardest-hit areas, was canceled to ease pressure on emergency services while Bruce Springsteen’s concert in Ferrara on Thursday was on account of go ahead as planned.
![A man carries a child on his back, wading through the backwaters](https://nypost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/05/NYPICHPDPICT000011354862.jpg?w=1024)
![Flooding in the Emilia-Romagna region](https://nypost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/05/NYPICHPDPICT000011354906.jpg?w=1024)
![Firefighters work on a flooded car after heavy rains hit Italy's Emilia-Romagna region](https://nypost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/05/NYPICHPDPICT000011304525.jpg?w=1024)
For the second time this month, the Emilia-Romagna region has been affected by bad weather. Meteorologists said the heavy rains followed months of drought that had dried out the land, reducing its ability to soak up water.
($1 = €0.9084)
Additional reporting by Alvise Armellini and Francesca Piscioneri in Rome, Writing by Keith Weir; Editing by Toby Chopra