Campania hit by severe weather, Orange weather alert issued. Landslides and flooding in Naples and the surrounding province.

Naples – Severe weather continues to rage in Campania. The regional Civil Protection Department has extended and raised the weather alert due to further deterioration in weather conditions.

Starting at 3:00 PM today and until 15:00 PM tomorrow, Saturday, October 10, the criticality level will move from Yellow to Orange in Zone 1 (Naples, the Campanian Plain, the Islands, and the Vesuvian Area) and Zone 15 (the Sorrento-Amalfi Peninsula, the Sarno Mountains, and the Picentini Mountains). The Yellow alert will remain in effect for the rest of the region.

Heavy showers and thunderstorms are expected in the coming hours. Experts warn that the most severe phase will occur during the night and early hours of Saturday, creating a real risk of widespread hydrogeological instability. In areas under Orange Alert, shallow landslides, rapid mudslides, and debris flows are feared, as well as marked instability of mountain slopes, aggravated by soil saturation and summer fires, especially on the Gulf Islands.

Damage and inconvenience in Naples and its province

The effects of the heavy rains have already been felt severely, causing the first serious disruptions. In central Naples, a tree fell on Via Guantai Nuovi, right in front of the INPS headquarters. The area was immediately cordoned off for safety reasons.

Roads transformed into rivers and severe disruptions were reported in the western part of the city, particularly in the Fuorigrotta and Bagnoli neighborhoods. In Pozzuoli, the wall of a supermarket collapsed overnight due to water infiltration. In Marano, a widespread power outage left several neighborhoods in the Phlegraean Fields municipality without electricity.

Risks and recommendations from the Civil Protection Department

The Civil Protection Department has listed the main hazards expected in the coming hours in urban and suburban areas: significant surface runoff carrying debris; rising water levels in smaller streams and the risk of flooding; flooding of basements and ground floors; backflow of sewer and drainage systems, causing flooding of low-lying areas; falling rocks and tree instability due to gusts of wind.

The Civil Protection operations room has formally invited all mayors of affected municipalities to activate or maintain their Municipal Operations Centers (COCs). It will be essential to monitor local emergency plans, monitor public green spaces, and monitor structures exposed to wind and wave action.