Wednesday 17 May 2023

Pictures: Apocalyptic Floods in Italy & the Balkans

Death toll from 'apocalyptic' floods in Italy climbs to nine: Woman's body is dragged 12 miles down river amid 'biblical' downpour as 10,000 people are evacuated from hardest hit Emilia-Romagna region - with more heavy rain forecast for this weekend

  • Nine people have died and thousands have been evacuated from holiday region in northern Italy 
  • Desperate families have been forced to climb on to roofs of their homes in the region of Emilia-Romagna
  • This weekend's Italian Emilia Romagna F1 Grand Prix has been cancelled due to the deadly floods 

The death toll from the 'apocalyptic' floods in northern Italy has risen to nine with more heavy rain being forecast for this weekend.

Thousands of people have been evacuated from their homes in the popular holiday region of Emilia-Romagna after torrential rain on a 'biblical' scale.

The body of a 60-year-old woman, whose husband, 70, also died in the extreme weather, was found on the beach near Cesenatico after her body had been dragged 12 miles down a river.

Desperate families - including young children and the elderly - were forced to clamber on to their roofs in the tourist hotspot as they waited anxiously for rescuers to reach them in helicopters. 

This weekend's Italian Grand Prix in Imola was also cancelled to allow emergency services to cope with greater pressure and to prevent crowds gathering in the flooded streets.

'The city is on its knees, devastated and in pain,' said Gian Luca Zattini, the mayor of Forli, a city near Bologna where three people were confirmed dead today. 'It's the end of the world.' 

The extreme weather has extended to the Balkans. In Bosnia and Croatia, residents have watched in horror as their homes were submerged by the floods. 'We have an apocalypse,' Amin Halitovic, the mayor of the Bosnian town of Bosanska Krupa said. 'We can no longer count the flooded buildings. It's never been like this.'Flooded bungalows in Cesena after heavy rains caused major flooding

Flooded bungalows in Cesena after heavy rains caused major flooding

Vehicles in Castel Bolognese, near Imola, were submerged as a result of heavy rainfall

Vehicles in Castel Bolognese, near Imola, were submerged as a result of heavy rainfall

Firefighters brought technicians on a boat on 17 May after the flood hit northern Italy

Firefighters brought technicians on a boat on 17 May after the flood hit northern Italy 

A desperate citizen was held her dog up as she walked through a flooded street in Castel Bolognese, near Imola

A desperate citizen held her dog up as she walked through a flooded street in Castel Bolognese, near Imola

Thousands of people have been evacuated from their homes and pedestrians were seen walking through flooded streets

Thousands of people have been evacuated from their homes and pedestrians were seen walking through flooded streets

Torrential rain left damage and debris in its wake in northern Italy

Torrential rain left damage and debris in its wake in northern Italy

A man awaits rescue by helicopter on the roof of his flooded house in  the town of Faenza in the northern Italian region of Emilia Romagna today

A man awaits rescue by helicopter on the roof of his flooded house in  the town of Faenza in the northern Italian region of Emilia Romagna today

A family is rescued by firefighters in Coccolia, near Ravenna

A family is rescued by firefighters in Coccolia, near Ravenna

A cyclist rides through a flooded street in the village of Castel Bolognese, Italy, Wednesday, May 17, 2023

A cyclist rides through a flooded street in the village of Castel Bolognese, Italy, Wednesday, May 17, 2023

A man walks in a flooded street in the village of Castel Bolognese, Italy, Wednesday, May 17, 2023

A man walks in a flooded street in the village of Castel Bolognese, Italy, Wednesday, May 17, 2023

A shopping centre in Cesana is flooded after the Savio river burst its banks

A shopping centre in Cesana is flooded after the Savio river burst its banks

Damaged cars that were swept away in the floods are seen stranded in the San Rocco district

Damaged cars that were swept away in the floods are seen stranded in the San Rocco district 

This weekend's Emilia Romagna Grand Prix has been called off due to extreme rain in Imola

This weekend's Emilia Romagna Grand Prix has been called off due to extreme rain in Imola

Cars are partially submerged along a flooded street in the village of Castel Bolognese, Italy, Wednesday, May 17, 2023

Cars are partially submerged along a flooded street in the village of Castel Bolognese, Italy, Wednesday, May 17, 2023

Rescuers look for a missing person in Cesena, northern Italy, on Wednesday

Rescuers look for a missing person in Cesena, northern Italy, on Wednesday

A helicopter flies above the closed Motor racing-Imola paddock, as Santerno river levels rise due to heavy rain, ahead of the weekend's Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, in Imola, Italy, May 17, 2023

A helicopter flies above the closed Motor racing-Imola paddock, as Santerno river levels rise due to heavy rain, ahead of the weekend's Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, in Imola, Italy, May 17, 2023

An aerial view on a damaged Motta bridge, which connects the Motta-Budrio with San Martino in Argine, (Bologna), 17 May

An aerial view on a damaged Motta bridge, which connects the Motta-Budrio with San Martino in Argine, (Bologna), 17 May

A shopping centre flooded after the Savio river overflowed in Cesena, northern Italy

A shopping centre flooded after the Savio river overflowed in Cesena, northern Italy 

A video shows one desperate mother clinging to her young daughter while frantically waving for help as the water rose up to her chest outside her home

A video shows one desperate mother clinging to her young daughter while frantically waving for help as the water rose up to her chest outside her home

Two men were seen racing to swim to reach the pair, with one placing the young girl above his head (centre) to stop her getting swept away in the fast-moving waters

Two men were seen racing to swim to reach the pair, with one placing the young girl above his head (centre) to stop her getting swept away in the fast-moving waters

In the city of Cesena, in the hardest-hit northern Emilia-Romagna region, locals were forced to swim through the submerged streets, past sunken cars and floating furniture, to reach higher ground

In the city of Cesena, in the hardest-hit northern Emilia-Romagna region, locals were forced to swim through the submerged streets, past sunken cars and floating furniture, to reach higher ground

A submerged car in Cesena

A submerged car in Cesena

The damage caused by the flooding in Cesena

The damage caused by the flooding in Cesena

The region of Emilia-Romagna has been the hardest-hit, with thousands of people evacuated from their homes

The region of Emilia-Romagna has been the hardest-hit, with thousands of people evacuated from their homes 

Flooding has also caused havoc in northern Croatia and northwestern Bosnia, with thousands evacuated from their homes

Flooding has also caused havoc in northern Croatia and northwestern Bosnia, with thousands evacuated from their homes

The flooding has wreaked havoc in Cesena, with thousands evacuated from their submerged homes on Wednesday

The flooding has wreaked havoc in Cesena, with thousands evacuated from their submerged homes on Wednesday

The F1 paddock at the Italian Emilia Romagna Grand Prix was under water today. The Grand Prix has now been cancelled

The F1 paddock at the Italian Emilia Romagna Grand Prix was under water today. The Grand Prix has now been cancelled

The deadly floods in the popular tourist hotspot has meant this weekend's Italian Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix has been cancelled

The deadly floods in the popular tourist hotspot has meant this weekend's Italian Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix has been cancelled

The Nuovo Bridge of Cesena and the water of the Savio river reaches its limit and threatens to burst the banks in Cesena, Italy

The Nuovo Bridge of Cesena and the water of the Savio river reaches its limit and threatens to burst the banks in Cesena, Italy

A home is nearly completely submerged in the flooded water in Ponte delle Grazie, near Ravenna, Italy

A home is nearly completely submerged in the flooded water in Ponte delle Grazie, near Ravenna, Italy

Rescuers take people to safety in Forli after floods hit Italy's northern Emilia-Romagna region

Rescuers take people to safety in Forli after floods hit Italy's northern Emilia-Romagna region

At least four people have died and thousands have been evacuated from their homes across northern Italy today as devastating floods triggered by torrential rain tore through dozens of towns

At least four people have died and thousands have been evacuated from their homes across northern Italy today as devastating floods triggered by torrential rain tore through dozens of towns

Cars are submerged in water in Cesena after the Savio river burst its banks

Cars are submerged in water in Cesena after the Savio river burst its banks

Rescuers search through floodwater for missing people in Cesena

Rescuers search through floodwater for missing people in Cesena 

Local residents observe the aftermath of a flooding in a street in the San Rocco district of Cesena today

Local residents observe the aftermath of a flooding in a street in the San Rocco district of Cesena today

A man walks past fallen trees along a flooded road in Bologna, Italy, today following flooding

A man walks past fallen trees along a flooded road in Bologna, Italy, today following flooding 

A view of a road affected by a landslide in the aftermath of heavy rain in Fiorenzuola, Italy today

A view of a road affected by a landslide in the aftermath of heavy rain in Fiorenzuola, Italy today

A road is blocked by a landslide caused by torrential rain in Fiorenzuola, Italy today

A road is blocked by a landslide caused by torrential rain in Fiorenzuola, Italy today

Flooded areas in Faenza, one of the cities most affected by the flooding of the Lamone river, in Ponte delle Grazie, near Ravenna, Italy

Flooded areas in Faenza, one of the cities most affected by the flooding of the Lamone river, in Ponte delle Grazie, near Ravenna, Italy

Residents observe the aftermath of a flooding in a street of the San Rocco district of Cesena on May 17 as more heavy rain is expected for several days

Residents observe the aftermath of a flooding in a street of the San Rocco district of Cesena on May 17 as more heavy rain is expected for several days

A local resident cleans the mud from his home in the aftermath of flooding in San Rocco district of Cesena

A local resident cleans the mud from his home in the aftermath of flooding in San Rocco district of Cesena

In the city of Cesena, in the hardest-hit northern Emilia-Romagna region, streets have been turned into rivers
Locals watch on as the flooding draws nearer

In the city of Cesena, in the hardest-hit northern Emilia-Romagna region, streets have been turned into rivers

Flooded fields in the northern Italian region of Emilia Romagna today

Flooded fields in the northern Italian region of Emilia Romagna today

An elderly man wakes through a street damaged by the flooding of the San Rocco district of Cesena

An elderly man wakes through a street damaged by the flooding of the San Rocco district of Cesena 

A man walks through a muddy street amid heavy rain in the San Rocco district of Cesena

A man walks through a muddy street amid heavy rain in the San Rocco district of Cesena

Pedestrians walk in a flooded street of the San Rocco district of Cesena

Pedestrians walk in a flooded street of the San Rocco district of Cesena

A man with a board attempts to surf along the muddied streets of Bologna, Italy, following the flooding

A man with a board attempts to surf along the muddied streets of Bologna, Italy, following the flooding 

A dog walks in the flooded San Rocco district of Cesena. The torrential rain has damaged homes and cars

A dog walks in the flooded San Rocco district of Cesena. The torrential rain has damaged homes and cars 

A view of high river level due to heavy rain in Fiorenzuola, Italy. More rain is expected in the coming days

A view of high river level due to heavy rain in Fiorenzuola, Italy. More rain is expected in the coming days

The high water level of river Una yesterday due to heavy rain in Kostajnica, Croatia

The high water level of river Una yesterday due to heavy rain in Kostajnica, Croatia

A member of civil defence wades through flooding waters in Obrovac, Croatia, yesterday after the river burst its banks

A member of civil defence wades through flooding waters in Obrovac, Croatia, yesterday after the river burst its banks

Locals laid out sand bags to try to protect their homes from the flooding in Obrovac, Croatia

Locals laid out sand bags to try to protect their homes from the flooding in Obrovac, Croatia 

Rescuers wade through floodwaters during rescue operations in Forli after floods hit Italy's northern Emilia-Romagna region in the early hours of this morning

Rescuers wade through floodwaters during rescue operations in Forli after floods hit Italy's northern Emilia-Romagna region in the early hours of this morning

Firefighters and rescuers are seen next to boats during rescue operations in Faenza

Firefighters and rescuers are seen next to boats during rescue operations in Faenza 

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