"The bad weather situation in Emilia-Romagna is dramatic. Unfortunately, at the moment there are two confirmed victims, a man in Forlì and one from Cesena, whose wife is missing. Three more are missing, all in the province of Forlì-Cesena". This is what we read in a note from the Emilia-Romagna region updated at 9:18 this morning.
“The emergency is still in full swing and the priority is to secure the entire population involved: it is necessary to follow the instructions of the authorities and mayors, who have been active since yesterday to evacuate people in danger. The estimate of evacuees is growing, operations are underway. Only in the next few hours will it be possible to have a complete picture of the damage and consequences.
And the number of people evacuated. The Regional Operations Center - goes on - is constantly operational at the Civil Protection headquarters in Bologna, in constant contact with the National Department and coordination with all State Bodies. Present were President Stefano Bonaccini, Vice President Irene Priolo, with responsibility for Civil Protection. Here too, constant contact with the head of National Civil Protection, Fabrizio Curcio.
During the night new pulses of rain on the hilly and foothill area extending from the Romagna basins to the Reno have determined new flood peaks in the mountain sections and further increases in the hydrometric levels in the valley sections. For today's morning the precipitations will tend to insist on the central areas of the region with progressive attenuation in the eastern areas.
In some places, such as the Sant'Agata hydrometer, on the Santerno, it was not possible to detect the levels because they were higher than those measurable by the instruments and the historical maximums recorded. The situation of the watercourses is very serious; 14 rivers flooded, even in several places: Idice, Quaderna, Sillaro, Santerno, Senio, Lamone Marzeno, Montone, Savio, Pisciatello, Lavino, Gaiana, Ronco.
Nineteen watercourses with exceedances of level 3 (alarm) of the hydrometric threshold in some monitoring stations: Savena, Lamone, Sillaro, Senio, Savio, Marecchia, Pisciatello, Marzeno, Ausa, Uso, Montone, Voltre, Rubicone, Idice, Rabbi, Ronco, Sintria, Santerno and Quaderna. Widespread flooding in 23 municipalities, Bologna, Budrio, Molinella, Medicina, Castel San Pietro, Imola, Mordano, Conselice, Lugo, Massalombarda, Sant'Agata sul Santerno, Cotignola, Solarolo, Faenza, Castel Bolognese, Riolo Terme, Bagnacavallo, Forli', Cesena, Cesenatico, Gatteo Mare, Gambettola, Savignano sul Rubicone, Riccione. Attention remains very high on the hydrogeological side of the Forlì-Cesenate, Bologna and Ravenna Apennines: overall there are reports of over 250 ongoing landslides.
Already yesterday the National Department of Civil Protection was asked to strengthen the urgent technical rescue by further involving the army and firefighters to intervene in an even more timely manner possible. The men of the San Marco Battalion are arriving with 26 men and six rubber dinghies. 510 firefighters are already operational, and another 100 are arriving, in addition to three helicopters that have been operating since last night in the Cesena area.
The Joint Operations Command (Covi) has activated five helicopters, nine inflatable boats and six lagoon boats in addition to 12 operational units for the control of the banks, a remotely piloted aircraft ready for monitoring, seven inflatable boats. Additional teams of volunteers from national associations and the columns of Veneto and Lombardy are arriving.
The National Port Authority is making available three helicopters, a plane, two boats and, arriving in Ravenna, twelve divers. The Carabinieri will strengthen their presence on the territory thanks to anti-looting teams and will make available two helicopters, as will the Guardia di Finanza. The Italian Red Cross is deploying 116 volunteers, and the Alpine Rescue another 136, 12 flood operators and 3 off-road ambulances.
EDITORIAL TEAM
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