Sweeping floods in Sicily spark over 100 emergency responses
A serious flood situation is prevailing in Sicily after intense rainfall, as reported by local media on Wednesday. In many places, streets have turned into raging rivers, carrying away cars. The fire department is assisting drivers and passengers stranded in vehicles.
The most difficult situations are in the towns of Torre Archirafi and Acireale, as well as in Altarello in the province of Catania. The disaster has also affected Syracuse, where evacuations of residents from some homes were necessary.
Firefighters in amphibious vehicles assist in evacuation
Rescue teams, including firefighters in amphibious vehicles, are assisting with difficult conditions in the pouring rain. Civil Defence volunteers are also participating in the operation.
Before dawn, a section of the Messina-Catania highway was flooded.
Over 100 interventions
Extreme rainfall has also caused flooding in other parts of Sicily. Italian services intervened more than 100 times in the last 24 hours. The downpours paralyzed roads and turned them into rushing streams.
The Regional Civil Protection Inspectorate declared a second-level alert, which is in effect in the eastern parts of Sicily. Local authorities are urging residents to exercise extreme caution and limit movement.
It's important to note that Sicily has not yet recovered from the previous flood that hit the island just under a month ago. At that time, streets and city squares in Catania were also flooded, and there were fatalities.
