Severe Flooding and Landslides Force Red Alerts in Tuscany and Emilia-Romagna

Red alerts for flooding have been issued in parts of Tuscany and Emilia-Romagna, with places like Florence and Pisa experiencing extraordinary rainfall leading to mudslides and evacuations. Local authorities are urging caution as heavy rain is expected to continue throughout the weekend.

In a worrying turn of events, parts of northern Italy, including the iconic cities of Florence and Pisa, are grappling with severe flooding as officials issue red alerts for various regions in Tuscany and Emilia-Romagna. Torrential rainfall has prompted local leaders to brace for potential disasters, with continuous rain expected into Saturday afternoon.

On Friday morning alone, Florence reported nearly a month’s worth of rain, contributing to the region's flooding woes. In Bologna, heavy downpours led to landslides, resulting in the evacuation of several residents ahead of significant rainfall expected overnight. Fortunately, local authorities have thus far reported no casualties, and they indicated that the intense flooding had mostly subsided by mid-morning.

Rescue workers were deployed to Badia Prataglia in Tuscany, where a family of four was saved from a landslide on Thursday evening. The situation escalated when the Rimaggio river overflowed, prompting dozens of emergency calls to the national fire brigade as it flooded areas in Sesto Fiorentino, located just north of Florence.

Authorities in Pisa took preemptive measures by erecting flood defenses along the Arno river, which had already surpassed its initial flood-risk level. Roads across the region have been obstructed by flooding and fallen trees, with officials cautioning residents in Florence to avoid travel altogether after partial closures of the A1 motorway.

Consequently, schools across over 60 municipalities in Tuscany and several University of Florence campuses were forced to close amid concerns for student safety. Florence’s rainfall exceeded double its usual March average of 61mm during this period, recording 53mm within just six hours on Friday morning, compounded by 36mm that fell overnight.

Meteorologists have warned that the red weather alerts, indicating serious risks of severe flooding, will remain in effect throughout the day. More heavy rain and thunderstorms are anticipated to sweep through northern Italy into the weekend before a shift towards drier weather occurs.

The current flooding has emerged following recent downpours that had already swelled rivers in Emilia-Romagna. In September 2024, over 1,000 individuals were evacuated after the region was battered by Storm Boris, which had devastating effects—including 13 fatalities the prior year from extreme rainfall. Experts attribute such severe weather patterns to climate change, highlighting Europe as the fastest-warming continent—a factor that contributes to the increasing intensity and frequency of rainfall across the region.

Residents impacted by the flooding are encouraged to share their experiences and photographs as the situation develops.