Last week some areas of Italy’s northern region of Emilia Romagna recorded at least 500mm of torrential rain - the half of the annual rainfall - within a 36-hour period: 23 rivers burst their banks across the region, causing severe flooding and more than 300 landslides.
The flooding has been exacerbated by the previous months of drought, drying out soils and reducing their capacity to store water.
At least 15 people have died, other 40,000 have been evacuated from their homes, while 5,000 farms suffered damage: 250,000 livestock are at risk and 10 millions of fruit trees will have to be uprooted and replanted.
The provisional amount of damages amounts at least at €5 billion.
Rescue workers, volunteers and residents have been clearing properties and cleaning streets for days after the flooding, described as the worst in a century.
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