Marche and Abruzzo brought to their knees by bad weather
Environment — di Lorenzo Brenna
Rain, wind and hail lashed the Adriatic coast, causing the death of one man, several injuries and extensive damage.
Marche and Abruzzo brought to their knees by bad weather
Rain, wind and hail lashed the Adriatic coast, causing the death of one man, several injuries and extensive damage.
There is no need to invoke the melting of Arctic ice or the acidification of the oceans: the effects of climate change are plain to see. This is demonstrated by the increasing frequency with which extreme weather events strike our cities. Rising global temperatures cause water at the surface to evaporate more quickly, loading the air with moisture and increasing the frequency and intensity of storms and tornadoes. Where certain phenomena — such as torrential rain or particularly violent winds — were once exceptional, they are now becoming routine, and cities that fail to adapt by adopting resilience strategies will increasingly bear the consequences. The latest evidence of this worsening trend comes from Marche and Abruzzo, which were struck on 10 July by a ferocious bout of bad weather.
Fear along the Adriatic coast
The Adriatic coast was swept by winds reaching 150 kilometres per hour, and battered by storms and hailstorms. The bad weather caused the death of one man, in Osimo, in the province of Ancona, who suffered a heart attack during the storm. Dozens of people were injured by hail, road accidents and trees brought down by the gale. One man, caught at sea by the storm, was rescued by the coastguard 500 metres from shore. The extraordinary volume of water that fell in a short space of time also caused widespread disruption and led to the closure of roads and railway lines. In Senigallia, in the province of Ancona, the closure of underpasses effectively cut off the seafront promenade for hours.
Violent hailstorm in Pescara
Among the worst-affected cities was the Abruzzese regional capital, which was struck by an extraordinary hailstorm, with hailstones up to 5 centimetres in diameter. The hail injured around twenty people, none seriously, and caused extensive damage to cars and homes. "The hailstorm that hit the city was extremely violent, with hailstones as large as baseballs," declared the mayor of Pescara, Carlo Masci. "I have spoken with the president of the regional council and we have initiated the procedures to request a state of calamity." The violent downpour that followed the hail also caused flooding in the basements of the Santo Spirito hospital, putting the facility's kitchens, pharmacy and car parks out of action. Violent hailstorms, though shorter in duration, also struck Venafro, in Molise, and Emilia-Romagna, causing serious damage to crops.
Maltempo e violenta grandinata, a Pescara inizia il resoconto dei danni...
Beach establishments destroyed
The fury of the elements struck beach establishments in particular, from Fano to Pesaro, from Sirolo to San Benedetto del Tronto. The wind literally uprooted parasols and other structures and sent deckchairs and sun loungers flying. The beach at Numana, a gem of the Conero, is among the most badly damaged following a tornado, and the reopening of several establishments is in doubt. The mayor of Numana, Gianluigi Tombolini, did however reassure residents and tourists. "We are able to guarantee the safety of citizens and the full functioning of all services for tourists. The damage is certainly extensive, the event was rapid and devastating, but we have restored all services."
The calm after the storm
The alert in Marche lasted until midnight on 10 July, but by evening the weather had calmed and, for now, the sun has returned. The risk of cloudbursts remains, however, and extends to other Italian regions as well: civil protection has issued an orange weather alert for storm risk in Tuscany. A yellow alert covers many regions of the peninsula: Lombardia, Veneto, Liguria, Emilia-Romagna, Marche, Umbria, Lazio, Abruzzo, Molise, Campania, Basilicata, Calabria and Puglia.