Italy floods hit Calabria, calls for a state of emergency
The Calabria region of southern Italy is facing a growing environmental and humanitarian crisis, with local authorities formally requesting a new national state of emergency following a violent wave of bad weather that hit the region and caused widespread damage.
Details of the disaster in Calabria
Roberto Occhioto, president of the Calabria region, announced in an official statement that the region had experienced severe weather conditions over the past 48 hours, including strong winds and torrential rainstorms. These conditions led to flash floods, dangerously high river levels, landslides, and the collapse of some dams in various areas, prompting a full mobilization of state resources.
Although no human casualties or missing persons were reported—a fact officials described as a miracle given the scale of the devastation—the material losses were immense. Okyuto confirmed that vital sectors such as agriculture, livestock, and fishing were severely impacted, with the floods destroying vast areas of rural land and crops, and isolating some villages due to damage to road infrastructure.
Urgent interventions and a difficult climate context
Meanwhile, Italian broadcaster RAI documented harrowing scenes of streets transformed into rivers of muddy brown water and farmland completely submerged. Firefighters and civil defense personnel reported carrying out nearly 2,000 rescue operations in the past 72 hours across Calabria, Sardinia, and Sicily to address the aftermath of the severe weather.
Historical background and geographical challenges
These events have deepened the wounds of southern Italy, where a state of emergency had already been declared last month in the same regions (Calabria, Sicily, and Sardinia) following the devastation caused by Storm Harry. Italy is known to be one of the European countries most vulnerable to hydrogeological hazards, due to its rugged, mountainous terrain and the proximity of mountain ranges to the coast, which makes the flow of rainwater rapid and destructive.
Expected economic and climatic impacts
Meteorologists and environmental experts believe that the increasing frequency of these extreme weather events in the Mediterranean basin reflects the accelerating pace of climate change. These floods are expected to have long-term economic impacts on the local economy of southern Italy, which relies heavily on agriculture and tourism, presenting the central government in Rome with significant challenges in reconstruction and infrastructure development to make it more resilient to future disasters.
