The strong storm hitting Sicily, in southern Italy, has caused road closures due to flooding and the closure of schools on the northeast coast of the island, on a day when firefighters had to carry out over 80 interventions due to weather complications.
Sicily has been on alert since Tuesday due to heavy rains, especially intense in the province of Catania, in the northeast of the island, where today in just four hours firefighters carried out up to 64 interventions, including rescuing people, recovering trapped vehicles, and managing structural damage.
The heavy rains have caused floods and streams overflowing, affecting towns like Torre Archirafi and Giarre, both in Catania, where streets turned into torrents that swept away cars and overturned vans, as reported by local media, cited by Efe.
Schools in Catania have been closed since Tuesday after the mayor, Enrico Trantino, explained on his Facebook profile that "suspending classes is not taken lightly" and that as a parent and city official, he feels "the obligation to protect our children, who must be able to study in safe conditions."
The storm has also led to the closure of highway A18, connecting the cities of Messina, in the northeast tip of the island, and Catania, due to flooding at various points, leaving numerous vehicles trapped in the water.
The most affected municipalities are located in the northeast of the island, such as Giarre, Acireale, and Linguaglossa, where firefighters have concentrated their efforts due to the high number of emergency calls.
According to meteorological reports, intense storms have been recorded in the Giarre area, with accumulations of up to 350 mm of rain in six hours, adding to the precipitation from previous days.
Meanwhile, firefighters in the area confirmed on their X account that in Altarello di San Giuseppe, a neighborhood in Patti, in the northeast of the island, four people had to be rescued after being trapped in the lower floors of their homes, which were completely flooded.
Firefighters have deployed an extraordinary service, including divers and river rescuers, while Civil Protection and volunteers are working intensively to address the emergency and assess the affected inhabited areas.