Four dead as floods hit central Italy

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Four dead as floods hit central Italy

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Published on Nov 13, 2012 by Euronews
http://www.euronews.com/ At least four people are now known to have died after severe floods hit northern and central Italy.

Several people are still missing following heavy rains which caused local rivers to burst their banks.

The worst affected regions were Tuscany, Umbria and Lazio.

Nearly three-quarters of Venice has been flooded after water levels there reached record highs.

Shops, homes and historic palaces were filled with water including the famous St Mark's Square.

There are now fears that the Arno and Tevere rivers could be next to burst their banks.

Tuscany's governor has called in the army to help in rescue efforts.

In one town, more than 200 people had to leave their homes and take refuge in emergency shelters.

Across the region, thousands of people have been left without power.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bxgt5oduXds

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Re: Four dead as floods hit central Italy

Three more die in Italy floods; Venice waters receding

FLORENCE, Italy | Tue Nov 13, 2012 8:24am EST

(Reuters) - Three people died when their car fell off a collapsed bridge on Tuesday, as flooding battered central Italy for a third straight day, forcing part of Italy's main north-south highway to close.

Water levels were receding, however, in Venice, the lagoon city and Unesco world heritage site that at the weekend saw its sixth-worst flooding since records began in 1872.
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The two men and one woman who died in Tuscany were local electricity workers. Their deaths brought the toll to four in flooding that has damaged many homes and stores as well as thousands of acres of farmland.

One of the hardest hit areas was the Maremma zone of southern Tuscany, where flooding washed out many secondary roads, forced hundreds of people to leave their homes, and isolated several towns.
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Full text:

http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/11/13/us-italy-floods-idUSBRE8AC0JW20121113

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Re: Four dead as floods hit central Italy

Italy floods: Helicopter rescue helmet-cam video

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Published on Nov 13, 2012 by RussiaToday
Parts of central Italy including Tuscany and Umbria have been submerged by floodwaters following heavy rains and strong winds. In Albinia firefighters used a helicopter to winch a person to safety after they had been forced to climb onto their rooftop to avoid the rising waters.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Um7QvtVLNU

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Re: Four dead as floods hit central Italy

Italy drowns under downpour

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Published on Nov 12, 2012 by Euronews
http://www.euronews.com/ Italy's Environment Minister, Corrado Clini called for more funding to shore up weather defences as the country was hit by a massive downpour.

The heavy rains, which started in the north have now moved to Umbria in the centre of the country.

In the scenic region known as 'the green heart of Italy' people were forced to flee as they were hit by flooding and mudslides.

In neighbouring Tuscany around 200 people were evacuated from their homes after 23 centimetres of rain fell in just four hours. Bridges, vineyards and olive groves were all swept away.

A day earlier Venice had been the first victim of the flooding, and much of the historic city and its buildings remained under water on Monday.

This is the fourth time since 2000 that Venice has been hit by record high water. A barrier to protect the city from the repeated winter flooding is due to be finished in 2015.

Forecasters expect the torrential rain to continue throughout Tuesday.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gfeoJSEgpIg

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Re: Four dead as floods hit central Italy

Roman rains
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Everton Fox Last Modified: 15 Nov 2012 09:39
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The Tiber River which snakes through the capital burst its banks in some areas, tearing boats from their moorings and sweeping debris into the current. This was mainly to the north of the city where the Aniene River also overflowed flooding farmland and parts of some smaller towns and villages.

Across Rome?s northern outskirts, drainage pipes, irrigation canals and sewers backed up. This flooded streets feeding into the country?s main north-south highway bringing traffic to a standstill.

As the Tiber?s muddied waters rose they also filled some of the supporting arches of the Ponte Milvo (Milvian Bridge), one of Italy?s most historic bridges. In the process it threatened to engulf the pedestrian walkway and submerging trees. Central Rome itself has been spared thanks to its high embankment walls.
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Full text:

http://www.aljazeera.com/weather/2012/11/201211159283983749.html