Flooding in northern Italy sweeps away man

Northern Italy has been hit by a wave of intense storms, unleashing floods that have swept away a 58-year-old man who was riding a tractor and is now missing.

Emergency services are tirelessly searching for him, as the tractor’s wheel was seen lodged in the muddy flow near Turin, marking the spot where the vehicle was overturned.

The impact of these violent storms wasn’t limited to rural areas. Milan, Italy’s bustling financial centre, has seen major disruptions. The Seveso and Lambro rivers breached their banks, resulting in widespread flooding that left the city’s infrastructure reeling. Firefighters were called to rescue stranded drivers from flooded underpasses, pump water from waterlogged basements, and deal with blocked roads. Public transportation took a hit too, with subway lines temporarily suspended, causing further chaos in the city.

One particularly striking casualty of the floods was Milan’s iconic Radio Popolare station. For the first time since its founding in 1976, the station went off-air after floodwaters inundated its broadcast centre.

Climate crisis: Flooding and droughts

While northern Italy faces flooding, the south has been grappling with the opposite extreme – severe droughts. Sicily and Sardinia, both major tourist and agricultural hubs, have been hit particularly hard. Crops have withered, water resources are strained, and local economies are feeling the pressure as tourists and farmers alike struggle to adapt.

Scientists have long warned that the climate crisis is intensifying these extremes. Europe is now seeing more frequent and severe weather events, with storms becoming increasingly violent. According to experts, the warming atmosphere can hold more moisture, leading to heavier downpours and, in turn, flash floods like those witnessed in northern Italy.

This alarming trend is not limited to Europe. Globally, regions are experiencing an uptick in climate-related disasters – be it heatwaves, droughts, or flooding – making adaptation and resilience more urgent than ever.

For locals and expatriates in Europe, this is an issue that hits close to home. Many have witnessed first-hand how the changing climate is impacting both the places they live and the communities they have come to call home.

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