The disturbance in transit on central-northern Italy it also affects Tuscany: the intensification of the bad weather began in the late afternoon of Thursday 2 November and forecasts say that the situation is worsening. The Regional Civil Protection Operations Room has issued an orange weather alert due to hydraulic risk of the main network which therefore extends the previous alert already announced on Wednesday. Which instead of ending at midnight on Thursday, will be “extended” to 6pm tomorrow, November 3, for the north-western area.
The situation is evolving in various parts of Tuscany with various interventions by the Fire Brigade.
In Campi
The Bisenzio river overflowed in two places in the town of Campi Bisenzio (Florence), in Ponte alla Rocca, in the historic centre, and in Ponte a Capalle. We learned this from the staff of Mayor Andrea Tagliaferri who signed the order to close schools and interrupt activities and, according to reports, invited citizens to go to the upper floors of the buildings. The river has exceeded the warning levels in two points and is slowly flowing out.
In Prato
(Giorgio Bernardini) Fear and tension among citizens due to the damage created by the flooding of the Furba torrent near Seano (Carmignano): the load of water released from the bed joined the rest of the stagnant water due to problems in receiving the sewerage systems, which are actually flooding the streets in many parts of the province and in the city of Prato itself. In Carmignano there are at least 4 families who have been forced to abandon their homes, especially on the border with the Municipality of Quarrata (Catena locality). Many people have water on the ground floors, but have moved to the upper floors. Civil Protection forecasts report that during the night the rainfall – continuous and intense here for 5 hours – will decrease. Ombrone is also lowering its level thanks to an expansion tank opened in the Iolo district of Prato; again to lower the level of the Ombrone, the municipal administrations involved report, the pumps of the Consorzio Medio Valdarno in Castelletti (Signa) came into operation, where three out of seven drainage pumps were installed.
The mayor of Vernio Giovanni Morganti has signed an ordinance for the closure tomorrow, Friday 3 November, of all schools of all levels (there are 6, ed.).
In Pistoia
Tomorrow, Friday 3 November, schools of all levels (nursery, nursery, primary, middle, high school) in Pistoia will be closed. Following the orange weather alert issued by the Functional Center of the Tuscany Region and after the discussion with the mayors of Quarrata, Agliana, Montale, Serravalle Pistoiese necessary for coordination between neighboring territories, the mayor of Pistoia Alessandro Tomasi signed the ordinance of closure for the Municipality of Pistoia. Any further measures (relating for example to sports facilities) will be evaluated based on the evolution of the situation tomorrow.
In Pisa
Difficult situation also in the province of Pisa. The center of Pontedera is submerged in water: the rain has been falling continuously for hours. Firefighters at work due to dozens of floods. The Ubik bookshop is completely flooded with water.
The ground floor of the Pontedera emergency room was flooded with water. The patients were moved. The firefighters are working to restore normality.
In Livorno
(Simone Lanari) Weather warning also in Livorno where the mayor Luca Salvetti speaks of «a real bomb of water in the area between Castellaccio and Valle Benedetta with 46 mm of rain in an hour».
Big problems in the area between Ardenza and Montenero, where some canals have flooded and the heavy rain has turned the roads into overflowing rivers. Civil protection recommends going up to the upper floors of homes for those who live near rivers. At the height of the 5 Oaks the river overflowed. There are also problems in the Romito tunnel, where numerous cars are stopped due to the rain
Massa Carrara
Three families were evacuated from their homes in Montignoso (Massa Carrara) due to bad weather. Mayor Gianni Lorenzetti explains that there are eight people, including elderly people and minors. Also in Montignoso, a landslide blocked the SP1 road in Corsanico. Tomorrow morning, Friday 3 November, the Province’s technicians will carry out an inspection to assess the situation and plan the restoration operations. Traffic disruptions due to bad weather in the afternoon also between Pontremoli and Aulla. The road network of the Cisa SS62 in the section under the jurisdiction of the Municipality of Aulla was restored after the intervention of Anas. Also in Aulla, the technical office and civil protection are checking several plants that have tilted dangerously due to the strong wind of the last few hours. The levels of the Magra river are under observation, with the Aulla water pumps currently operating on the river.
In Villafranca in Luigiana the municipal roads are dangerous and impassable. «I had direct testimony of it and luckily I got away with great fright and some damage to the car (a thousand euros)» », writes Lucio Barani, former senator and mayor for three terms, on Facebook. He was also mayor of Villafranca, where the episode occurred: «A couple of logs weighing tens of quintals fell in front of my car. Sub-zero maintenance. I arrived home in Fornoli and there was no water in the taps and when it came back it was brown, but not even the light was present and at 6.15pm, after 5 hours, we were still in complete darkness”, writes Barani
Florence and its province
In Florence the code yellow due to wind is confirmed: in Viale Giannotti, Gavinana area, a large tree fell onto the road, fortunately without causing any injuries.
Updates on interventions by the Fire Brigade in various parts of the province of Florence and beyond.
Intervention for flooding of a residential house in the municipality of Empoli in Via Carlo Pisacane.
The staff of the Barberino del Mugello detachment instead intervened to rescue people stuck in the underpass near the cemetery in the municipality of Barberino di Mugello.
The team from the Empoli detachment intervened from 4pm in the municipality of Vinci, in via di Anchiano, at the intersection with via Leano, due to the fire in an electricity transformation cabin. According to reports received, the area of Montalbano, with the hamlets of Salvino, Stamato, Santa Lucia, Faltognano and Anchiano in the municipality of Vinci are without electricity.
Intervention also on the Florence-Pisa-Livorno highway at kilometer 12, towards Florence, between Ginestra Fiorentina and Lastra a Signa due to a car fire.
In Versilia
The mayors of Versilia met in a video conference to decide on the measures to take in view of the worsening of the bad weather. Having evaluated the forecasts for the individual areas, it was decided that the municipalities of Stazzema, Seravezza, Camaiore and Massarosa (which also have a single Civil Protection Plan) will, as Viareggio did, issue closure orders, in particular of schools .
The schools in the municipalities of Forte dei Marmi and Pietrasanta will remain open.
Arezzo
The entire province of Arezzo beaten by the wind. In Sestino, upper Valtiberina, an Arezzo enclave in the Marche region, gusts of up to 105 km per hour, in Arezzo 44 km per hour. No rain except light showers.
Grosseto
In Follonica (Gr), again due to the wind, the mayor invites people to avoid parks, at the risk of falling branches. Also in Follonica, Pratoranieri area, the storm ate 18 of the 20 meters of depth of the beach
The situation
The president of Tuscany posted on social media the map of the disturbance concentrated in the North. «In the next few hours the transit of the frontal system is expected with intensification of the phenomena in particular in the northern areas», he writes.
The alert in Florence and surrounding municipalities
Yellow code for strong storms, rain and consequent hydrogeological and hydraulic risk in the minor network (which includes secondary watercourses such as Ema, Mugnone and Terzolle) as communicated by the Regional Functional Center (Cfr) in the new bulletin for the evaluation of critical issues for the area which concerns both the Municipality of Florence and those of Bagno a Ripoli, Fiesole, Greve in Chianti, Impruneta, Lastra a Signa, Pontassieve, San Casciano in Val di Pesa, Scandicci and Tavarnelle Val di Pesa. The alerts will end tomorrow, Friday 3 November: at 6am for thunderstorms, at 8am for hydrogeological and hydraulic risk in the minor grid and at 6pm for wind. Given the very uncertain situation, the civil protection operations room of the Municipality of Florence will remain open continuously with volunteer teams available to monitor the evolution.
Storm warning
Another orange code for storms, from midnight on Thursday until 6pm on Friday, concerns the central-northern coast and the islands, and for wind, from 9pm on Thursday until 3pm on Friday, again for the central-northern coast, islands and northern areas oriental.
Article being updated…
November 2, 2023
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