Floods in Italy due to Storm Boris pummeled the same area affected in May 2023
The entire region, where the regional and civil protection alert has been elevated from orange to red, was hit by heavy rain overnight Wednesday.
More than 800 people were evacuated in Ravenna area, and almost 200 in Bologna area. They spent the night in shelters set up by the municipalities.
Mayors and local administrations have made appeals through all available channels, from loudspeakers to Facebook posts, urging residents to go to the highest floors of their buildings due to rising rivers.
Schools will remain closed on Thursday in the four provinces affected by the red alert - Bologna, Forlรฌ-Cesena, Rimini and Ravenna - and businesses have been advised to allow workers to stay at home. Five railway lines have been suspended in the region.
The Senio river recorded levels above historic highs and during the night burst in Castel Bolognese (Ravenna), with the water reaching the city centre, while the Marzeno and Lamone rivers in Faenza also overflowed into the streets.
Faenza Mayor Massimo Isola told Skytg24 that the Marzeno overflowed on the right bank, flooding Via Cimatti district, now under a meter and a half of water.
He added they had to evacuate a dozen people with firefighters, and around 100 people slept in a sports hall, while about 10 were rescued by boat during the night.
"The situation is more serious than in 2023. The river has exploded," said Modigliana (Forlรฌ-Cesena) Mayor Jader Dardi, whose municipality was devastated by countless landslides in May last year.
In Ravenna, the Senio dam broke in Cotignola, which could cause problems especially around the town of Lugo where residents were told to head to high floors with previsions such as water, food, medicines, basic necessities, mobile phones and chargers.
Various interventions have been carried out to help people in difficulty between the municipalities of Rocca San Casciano, Modigliana and Tredozio, in the province of Forli.
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