Italy suddenly found itself in a unique situation, experiencing heavy rainfall, mudslides, and floods, breaking records. There was the collapse of a bridge in the town of Quiliano that disturbed travel. The authorities had to arrange the rescue of the stranded people on priority.
The rainfall in Italy was unprecedented, with more than 29 inches of precipitation in just 12 hours. Genoa province in Italy is famous for its natural beauty and rugged coastlines. It came center stage as the epicenter for the most recent extreme rains.
Rossiglione is a town located about 60 miles from Milan.
It faced 36 inches of rain. Wet weather is not new to this part of Italy. It usually sees an average annual rainfall of around 50 inches. Obviously, nearly 30 inches in just 12 hours is a record of sorts.
Climatologist and extreme weather expert Maximiliano Herrera confirms this. In September, flash floods devastated parts of Spain and cars landed up in the Mediterranean Sea. These are sights that are seen very seldom.
A couple of days earlier, cyclone Shaheen made landfall in northern Oman, nearly 3,000 miles to the southeast of Italy. The normally parched city of Al Khaburah received more than 14 inches of rainfall within hours.
This is equivalent to more than 3 years' worth of rainfall in about 24 hours.
Another city received 4.57 inches of rainfall in a 6-hour span. It exceeded the amount of its annual rainfall.
Scientists warn climate change is responsible for heavy rainstorms and floods
According to Sky News, several rivers in Italy broke their banks and gave rise to floods. In the mountainous areas, some landslides added to miseries for the residents.
The port city of Genoa is the most populous area. It ordered the closure of schools, parks, markets, sports facilities, and cemeteries. This was to ensure all-around safety. Katia Piccardo is the Mayor of Rossiglione.
In her latest post on a social media platform, she wrote: "Rossiglione has been brought to her knees." She advised people to stay indoors.
Scientists have warned climate change is a major factor in heavy rainstorms.
The World Weather Attribution group adds that extreme rainfall events of this nature are on the rise because of global warming. In July, London had to cope with flash floods that left people stranded and disrupted normal lives. In July, there was heavy rainfall in parts of Europe with several months' worth of rain in a few hours. Many streets in Belgium and Greece remained submerged in water.
