Because of bad weather and heavy rains that hit the northern area of Piedmontfirefighters had to intervene in several areas due to flooding and landslides. In the Turin area, in Locana, 37 people were transferred from a restaurant that was isolated following a landslide, while in Chialamberto a condominium of 50 people was evacuated due to the risk of flooding. Two families were evacuated in Mathi due to the risk of flooding of the Stura di Lanzo river, and in Montanaro the firefighters rescued a family with a 3-month-old baby girl who was stuck in their car due to the swelling of the Orco torrent.
Several interventions also in the Verbania area. In Macugnaga the Anza torrent overflowed in several points of the Anzasca Valley causing widespread flooding and some people were moved to safety. Finally, there are about forty people in Varzo who remained blocked after a landslide and are now staying at the CAI refuge. In the morning a helicopter from the Turin Flight Department will take off for a new overflight of the affected areas.
Since yesterday evening, the men of the Civil Protection of Piedmont have been working to monitor the progress of the disturbance and coordinate the interventions of the Civil Protection in close collaboration with the Prefectures of Turin and Verbano Cusio Ossola.
The situation in Piedmont
“In contact with the mayors of the affected areas: we monitored the progress of the disturbance that hit some areas of Piedmont throughout the evening and into the night – he underlines the president of the Region, Alberto Cirio – the most serious damage was recorded on the Gran Paradiso front, in the Canavese area, in the Orco and Lanzo valleys and in the Macugnaga area. The regional room is operational and our technicians are at work and are reaching the affected areas for an initial assessment of the damage and to identify, together with the Municipalities, the first urgent restoration interventions. I am in contact with the Valle d’Aosta Region and this morning I spoke on the phone to the Head of the National Civil Protection Department, Fabrizio Curcio, to request the state of emergency”.
The Civil Protection announces that particularly significant situations affected the Orco Valley and the Soana Valley during the night. The volunteers were on site and supported the administrations involved in the event.
In Chialamberto there are three isolated hamlets and the evacuation of two condominiums was ordered as a precaution for a total of around 20 people, hosted in the rooms set up in the municipal gym with the support of volunteers. Between Noasca and Locana there is a landslide which prevents traffic on the state road 460 towards Ceresole Reale: the metropolitan city will begin removal operations this morning. The firefighters evacuated on foot, beyond the landslide, 35 people who were in a restaurant for dinner and who spent the night in a center set up in Locana. Of note is the intervention of the Turin firefighters carried out last night between Montanaro and San Benigno Canavese to save two adults and a 3-month-old baby girl stuck in the car due to the rising water of the Orco stream.
During the night, the territory of the hydraulic node of Ivrea was also monitored, as there was a significant increase in the levels of the Dora Baltea, which in Valle d’Aosta in some stations exceeded the danger/red level. The flood in Piedmont passed during the night with levels contained within the warning level.
Critical situation also in Macugnaga, in Verbano Cusio Ossola. A stream that crosses the town overflowed and flooded the road leading to the centre, preventing access to the Staffa area. Teams of the Fire Brigade, Alpine Rescue and volunteers from the Regional Coordination are operating. There is no electricity for around 1500 users, for which Enel’s operations center has arranged to send personnel to allow the restoration of the service, which is complicated due to the expansion of some cabins. At the moment, around 500 have been restored.
Val d’Aosta, critical situation: Cogne and Cervinia isolated
The situation is also critical due to bad weather in the Aosta Valley, where, due to the flooding of several streams and the fall of some debris flows, the town of Cogne has been isolated since yesterday evening. Two helicopter rescue operations were carried out to save a family with a small child and other people isolated due to bad weather and landslides.
Cervinia was also isolated, where a landslide blocked the regional road and several houses and businesses were flooded after a stream overflowed. A campsite was evacuated: guests were distributed among the various accommodation facilities in the area.
State road 26 ‘della Valle D’Aosta’ is temporarily closed to traffic due to the flooding of the Dora Baltea river, between km 50.600 and 56 in the Bard area. Anas staff, the Fire Department and the police are on site to manage the emergency and to reopen the state road to traffic as soon as full safety conditions for users in transit are restored.
Violent storm in the Canton of Ticino, two dead
Meanwhile, two people have died and one person is missing due to a violent storm in the Canton of Ticino. In Vallemaggia, according to Italian-Swiss media, violent storms, according to the cantonal police, caused a major landslide in the Fontana area. The Swiss authorities announce that the bodies of two people have been recovered by Rega rescuers and are currently being identified. The search is active for a third person who is missing. In Mogno there is a summer camp which welcomes around seventy people including monitors and guests while in Peccia there are around 300 people present for the local football tournament. In both cases no one suffered any consequences. The evacuation of the colony is underway while the methods for that relating to the people present in Peccia are currently being examined.
