The technicians of the Piedmont Region are continuing their inspections in the areas hit by bad weather last week, with the aim of allowing the drafting of the report necessary for the request of a state of emergency. “According to current assessments, the damage is significant, but fortunately it does not involve people. The many interventions to secure the territory carried out in recent years, after the floods of 1994 and 2000, have made it possible to limit the impact of a very violent disturbance – comments the president of Piedmont, Alberto Cirio – for many hours the Civil Protection has been working with great professionalism and commitment to address this emergency in conjunction with the mayors and the Prefectures to quickly and together overcome this situation”.
In particular, the operational modules of Asti, Turin and Novara of the Regional Mobile Column of Civil Protection are working in Vco to clear the mud, clean the streets and empty the flooded cellars. In Macugnaga, work is underway to restore the damaged aqueduct, while the methane supply has resumed. The road to Alpe Veglia is still interrupted. Finally, in Chialamberto, in the Turin area, there are still 20 people isolated but self-sufficient due to the precautionary interruption of access roads and 30 volunteers from the Regional Coordination of Civil Protection are present with some vehicles.
Since yesterday morning, gas and electricity distribution have been restored in Macugnaga, the town hardest hit by bad weather in northern Piedmont. There are still problems with the water network: ‘sanitary’ water that cannot be used for human consumption has been introduced from the aqueduct. This was reported to AGI by the Piedmont Region’s environmental councillor, Matteo Marnati. “It is a priority to restore the water system for drinking water but also the sewage system which has been completely put out of order”, added Marnati, “I am in contact with Acqua Novara Vco (the public company that manages the water cycle in the provinces of Novara and Verbano Cusio Ossola – ed.) with whom we have already agreed to estimate the amount of damage as soon as possible but above all to be ready quickly to have the definitive projects for restoring the water system, an essential condition for accessing the emergency resources that the state will have to make available”.
