Florence and Pisa on alert due to floods hitting Italy
Rome, March 15 (Hibya) - Floods and landslides have occurred in some parts of northern Italy, placing cities like Florence and Pisa under red alert.
Heavy rainfall in some areas of Tuscany and Emilia-Romagna has triggered warnings, with intense and continuous rain expected until Friday afternoon.
The President of Tuscany stated that local rescue and health services are on high alert and advised residents to exercise "maximum caution and care."
On Friday morning, Florence received nearly a month's worth of rainfall, while landslides and mudslides were reported in Bologna, with some residents evacuated on Thursday evening ahead of the heavy rain.
No casualties have been reported so far, and city officials stated that the worst of the flooding had passed by late Friday morning.
According to local media, a family of four was rescued from a landslide on Thursday evening in the town of Badia Prataglia, Tuscany.
The national fire department said it had received dozens of calls after the Rimaggio River overflowed, flooding the Sesto Fiorentino area on the northern outskirts of Florence.
In Pisa, flood defenses were being built along the Arno River as local officials warned that the river had exceeded the first flood risk level.
Roads were also affected by flooding and fallen trees, and after the partial closure of the A1 highway, Florence residents were advised to avoid all travel.
Local media reported that schools in more than 60 municipalities in Tuscany were closed, along with several campuses of the University of Florence.
Florence has recorded 61 millimeters of rainfall over the past three days, more than twice the average for March.
More than 53 millimeters of rain fell in just six hours on Friday morning, with an additional 36 millimeters overnight.
British News Agency