E’ The evacuation of tourists stuck in Cogne started again this morning at dawn due to landslides that have interrupted traffic towards the valley floor. According to an initial estimate there should be around 600. On Sunday the helicopters of the Civil Protection and the financial police carried out 92 shifts bringing a total of 499 people to the Aymavilles sports field. In the town of the Gran Paradiso valley Work is underway to restore the aqueduct and one is being made first count of the extensive damage. The regional road is blocked in three places and “several weeks” will be needed to restore traffic flow with the tourist season almost completely compromised. “We are confident that we can save the tourist season. Cogne is a place that thrives on tourism and we are working to find a system that will allow us to bring our loyal holidaymakers to Cogne in a short time”, said Mayor Franco Allera -. The evacuation of tourists has resumed this morning. helicopter, there are still 600 to be brought to the valley. We also plan to open a tractorable road to Valnontey and fix the aqueduct soon.”
We are trying to restart and return to normality, even in Cervinia. Although there are fears of new flooding of the Marmore torrent, dozens of people, including many volunteers, have been busy since dawn cleaning up the numerous buildings invaded by mud: there are at least thirty commercial establishments (bars, restaurants, shops) in the central street which are were seriously damaged. In some condominiums they were the basements with the meters were flooded and the electricity supply was interrupted: to solve the problem, generators were activated. On Sunday evening, the level of the Marmore rose again to alert levels and the town experienced moments of fear before the emergency situation was resolved. To assess the state of the torrent, especially at high altitude, Today some technicians are scheduled to fly over by helicopter.
Santanchè: “Thanks to the hoteliers for their solidarity”
“There is a moment of pain and a moment of solidarity. Justified anger, however, must not leave room for desperation. Sure, easy to say. But I guarantee you: the attention of the Meloni government and the Ministry of Tourism is maximum as far as it is happening in Valle d’Aosta and Piedmont. You will not be alone – says the Minister of Tourism Daniela Santanchè -. The request for a state of disaster is a first small step. Special thanks to the hoteliers who opened their facilities free of charge to welcome visitors, greatly affected by the emergency, thus showing the strong spirit of solidarity that distinguishes the tourism sector. We will do everything within our competence to deal with the situation.”
In Piedmont, in Verbano-Cusio-Ossola, evacuations were carried out 120 people blocked in the Alpe Veglia area and only in Macugnaga, in the Anzasca Valley, are they 182mm of rain fell and the mayor urged tourists to leave the area. Dozens of people were displaced in the Alpine valleys of Turin hit by thunderstorms and hailstormsthe latter especially in the plains. In the Lanzo Valleys it rained for more than ten days and the water swelled the Stura above the warning level. Landslides in the Oulx area, in the Susa Valley, and in Usseglio, in the Viù Valley, where the firefighters were able to rescue a shepherd who had remained stuck at a height of 150 metres. In Locana, in the Orco Valley, 37 were taken away from a restaurant remained isolated due to a landslide. An apartment building in Chialamberto, in Val Grande, was evacuated. Several sections of road 460 are closed, one due to the landslide above Locana, in Fornolosa, where rocks and mud fell from the mountain onto the asphalt. Many interventions by the Fire Brigade as in Montanaro where a Belgian family with a 3-year-old girl stuck in the car due to the flooding of the Orco torrent was rescued.
Damage in several municipalities of western Canavesein particular in a street in Busano where a tornado ripped apart a house. Taken an old woman and her son were savedwho remained stranded in their homes. “The most serious damage was recorded on the Gran Paradiso front, in Canavese, in the Orco and Lanzo valleys and in the Macugnaga area”, reported the president of the Piedmont Region, Alberto Cirio, who remained in contact with the Valle d’Aosta Region and announced that he had spoken on the phone with the Head of the National Civil Protection Department, Fabrizio Curcio, to request a state of emergency.
A downpour has also hit the Canton of Ticino, in Switzerland, where there are three deaths, one missing person and dozens of people evacuated in Vallemaggia following a series of landslides. A gradual improvement is expected in the Aosta Valley and Piedmont from the evening, especially in the flat areas. For tomorrow, rain and thunderstorms are expected in Friuli Venezia Giulia, Veneto and Emilia-Romagna, regions for which the Civil Protection has issued a yellow alert in many areas.
Pichetto promises “extraordinary measures”
Since Sunday evening, the men of the Civil Protection of Piedmont led by the head of the sector Franco De Giglio have been at work to follow the progress of the disturbance and coordinate the interventions of the Civil Protection in close collaboration with the Prefectures. “I am personally in contact with the mayors of the affected areas: we have monitored throughout the evening and into the night the progress of the disturbance that has hit some areas of Piedmont – says the president of the Region Alberto Cirio – the more serious damages were recorded on the Gran Paradiso front, in Canavese, 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 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 with the Head of the National Civil Protection Department, Fabrizio Curcio, for the request of a state of emergency”.
July 1, 2024
