Italy has received offers of international aid for floods, described as its worst for a century, which killed 14 people and left thousands in waterlogged homes or in evacuation centres.
As some areas began the clean-up following downpours earlier this week, others were newly evacuated on Thursday and authorities extended a red weather alert in parts of the Emilia Romagna region, where nearly two dozen rivers have broken their banks.
A mammoth rescue effort is underway after six months’ rain fell in 36 hours, with emergency services and the armed forces searching for people stuck in their homes – and those who lost their lives.
The latest victim found was a man recovered from a house in Faenza, a picturesque city usually surrounded by green pastures and vineyards left largely underwater.
“As Italy reels from the worst flooding there in a century, WHO Europe sends condolences for the lives lost,” tweeted Hans Kluge, World Health Organisation (WHO) regional director for Europe, saying it is “ready to support ... as needed”.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni shared images of the disaster with fellow G7 leaders at their summit in Japan, prompting French President Emmanuel Macron to tweet that France is “ready to provide every useful help”.
Stefano Bonaccini, head of the Emilia Romagna region, called for a national plan to mitigate the impact of natural disasters, saying: “This must never happen again.”
More than 15,000 people have been evacuated from their homes across the region, as farmers survey the damage that Bonaccini has compared to an earthquake.
Over half the evacuees were expected to spend the night in local refuge centres set up in gyms or hotels.
Others received hot meals from mobile kitchens deployed in several cities.
The downpour caused billions of euros’ worth of damage, just a fortnight after the region was hit by another round of floods that left two people dead.
Experts warn such disasters are becoming the norm due to human-induced climate change, which is exacerbating both droughts and storms.
According to the Legambiente environmental association, 6.8mn Italians live in flood risk areas.