Severe weather batters Italy, leaving two dead and multiple regions on alert

ISTANBUL

Italy is grappling with a wave of extreme weather, as flooding and scorching heat claimed two lives and prompted alerts across several regions, local media reported Tuesday.

In the northwestern Piedmont region, a 70-year-old man died after being swept away by mud and floodwaters caused by the overflowing Frejus stream in the mountain town of Bardonecchia, according to the ANSA news agency. Emergency responders later recovered his body.

Meanwhile, in the Emilia-Romagna region, a 47-year-old construction worker collapsed and died at a work site in Bologna, reportedly due to heat-related illness amid soaring temperatures.

Authorities have issued yellow-level weather warnings for storms in Emilia-Romagna, Lombardy, and Veneto, while a red heat alert — the highest on the scale — is now in effect in 18 cities, including Campobasso.

In Bardonecchia, the mayor declared a state of maximum alert, urging residents to stay indoors. A local sports hall was opened to shelter 150 children from summer camps and other individuals displaced by the flooding. The A32 Torino–Bardonecchia motorway and several nearby roads were closed, while firefighters worked to clear debris and stabilize affected areas.

Further north in the Aosta Valley, three landslides cut off access to the town of Cogne, just one year after previous floods left the area isolated for nearly a month. Though emergency crews temporarily reopened the main road, full access is not expected until at least Tuesday.

In the Belluno province, a violent storm triggered a rockslide on Mount Marcora, coating the nearby town of San Vito di Cadore in dust. Authorities reported no injuries or significant damage.