At least 1000 people evacuated as flooding hits northern Italy

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ROME (AP) — About a thousand residents were evacuated in the northern Italian region of Emilia-Romagna after it was hit by torrential rains and severe flooding overnight, local media reported Thursday.

Rivers flooded in three of the region's provinces — Ravenna, Bologna and Faenza — as local mayors asked people to stay on upper floors or leave their houses.

At least 800 residents in the Ravenna area and almost 200 in Bologna province spent the night in shelters, schools and sports centers as local rivers overflowed.

Trains were suspended and schools closed across the affected areas, and residents have been advised to avoid travel and work from home where possible.

The Faenza area was just recovering from the devastating floods that hit Emilia-Romagna in May 2023, claiming 17 lives and causing billions of euros in damages.

“The night was dramatic, we waited for the river flood to cross the city,” Faenza mayor Massimo Isola told state TV Rainews. “It rose really close to the limit, but thanks to the works done over the past year we managed to avoid an overflow in the center of the city.”

Several Central and Eastern European nations have been plagued by severe flooding in recent days, including Austria, the Czech Republic, Poland and Romania, with the death toll rising over 20 people across the region.