Rome - Following the severe devastation caused by the low pressure system „Harry“, the Italian government is switching to crisis mode. Following a top-level meeting with regional presidents and the civil defense, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni announced that a national state of emergency would be declared on Monday. The aim is to overcome bureaucratic hurdles and provide affected municipalities in Sicily, Calabria and Sardinia with financial support for the most urgent repairs as quickly as possible.
Billions in damage and historic record waves
The results of the last few days are staggering. In Sicily alone, the damage is estimated at over one billion euros. The Civil Protection speaks of an event of the century: in parts of Calabria, 570 millimetres of rain fell in just 48 hours - an amount that is normally measured in eight months. Waves up to 16 meters high were recorded on the coasts, the highest waves ever measured in the Mediterranean.
The infrastructure was hit particularly hard. In the port of Riposto, the second most important marina in Sicily, quay walls are threatening to collapse. On the island of Linosa, the infrastructure was almost completely destroyed, effectively splitting the island in two. Lampedusa also reported massive damage to its port facilities, which are vital for supplying the island. Filippo Mannino, Mayor of the Pelagic Islands, spoke of „unparalleled devastation“ and put the local damage at around 17 million euros.
New storm front reaches the north
While the clean-up work is running at full speed in the south, Italy is already facing new trouble from above. Another Atlantic disturbance is moving across the country and will bring a significant change in the weather over the weekend. A yellow alert has already been issued for the Campania region, as there are fears of more heavy thunderstorms and heavy rain.
The north will not be spared either: meteorologists are expecting snowfall down to low altitudes in the Po Valley, especially in cities such as Piacenza and Pavia. In Liguria and Tuscany, there is increased vigilance due to the threat of freezing rain. However, civil defense chief Fabio Ciciliano emphasized that the warning systems will be activated at the first passage of Cyclone Harry had worked excellently, which prevented worse things from happening. Now it is important to return to normality as quickly as possible, while the government must increase long-term funding for coastal protection.
