The north of Italy was hit by severe storms last night. Heavy thunderstorms and hailstorms caused major disruption in Milan and the region around Lake Garda. Several fallen trees blocked the streets, and large hail balls destroyed several cars.
Two women were killed in the northern provinces of Monza and Brescia. A plane taking off from Milan was also damaged and made an emergency landing in Rome.
While the south of Italy is puffing and sweating, the north was hit by heavy storms last night. Heavy thunderstorms and large hail balls hit the Lombardy region in particular. In the regional capital Milan, a cloudburst led to the disruption of the electricity network. Several fallen trees block the roads, making traffic difficult. The fire service received more than 200 calls last night.
The storm has also hit the region around Lake Garda, a popular holiday destination. Tamara Sterckx from Tielt-Winge can talk about it. She was standing with her caravan on a campsite on Lake Garda and was startled last night by the strong hail storm, with hail balls as big as a tennis ball. “It’s horrifying. The hail balls just went through the roof of our caravan,” she says in an interview on Radio2. Her new car was also damaged, but luckily no one was injured. “There are also people who have broken bones,” she continues.
16-year-old girl died
Two people were also killed by a fallen tree in the provinces of Monza and Brescia. One of them was a 16-year-old girl who was on a scout camp in Codegolo. The girl was sleeping in a tent when she ended up under a fallen tree. The scouts’ group was then evacuated to the village sports hall.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni expressed her support for the girl’s family this morning. She also called for solidarity among those affected. “Before I left for the G7 in Japan, I had to appoint a drought commissioner, and now, when I return, I have to appoint a flood commissioner…” she added. She refers to the extreme conditions in the north and south, which have been hit by a heat wave for weeks.
Air traffic disruption
The strong winds and hailstorms also severely disrupted Milan’s air traffic. Delta Air Lines reported a flight “from Milan to New York JFK was diverted to Rome after encountering extreme weather shortly after departure”. Further in the statement, it is said that the flight could land safely. “The storm has damaged the aircraft and is being checked by the maintenance team.”