One Man Missing As Heavy Rains Batter Milan Leading to Intense Flooding

Northern Italy has been crushed by rain, leading to flooding that has at least one person missing.

Cars are blocked in flooded streets in Milan, northern Italy, Thursday, September 5th, 2024. Lombardy and Veneto have been hit by widespread flooding, causing damage and disruption in the city of Milan, where the local Seveso and Lambro rivers overflowed. / Mandatory Credit - Claudio Furlan/LaPresse via AP

Torrential rainstorms have crushed the northern part of Italy, leading to some scary situations. At least one man is missing after Milan began flooding because of the rain.

According to the Associated Press, a video from TV RAI showed a tractor-trailer that overturned in muddy waters. This was at Orco Creek, where the search is on for the 58-year-old man who was swept away.

In another area of the Piedmont region, Val Di Susa, the heavy rains led to a river overflowing. That resulted in bridges collapsing and blocking a road, trapping 50 people in two separate villages.

The damage in Milan was caused by overflows in Lombardy and Veneto. There, the Seveso and Lambro rivers both overflowed with water running into the city.

Because of how quickly the flooding occurred, people were getting trapped inside their cars in underpasses. Local firefighters in Milan reported dozens of calls from passengers who needed assistance. People also needed help draining the basements in their homes which were full of water.

Subway stations also faced issues because of the flooding, leading to operations having to be suspended. Some unfortunate history was made during this storm as well.

For the first time since being founded in 1976, Milan’s Radio Popolare station had to go off the air as the broadcast station was dealing with being overwhelmed by flood water.

This will be something to keep an eye as there will be lingering damage from the severity of the rain and storms.

While the northern part of Italy deals with intense flooding, the southern part of the country is on the opposite end of the spectrum. They are dealing with awful droughts, with Sicily and Sardina being negatively impacted the most, leading to issues with agriculture and tourism.

As shared by the Associated Press, “Scientists warn that the climate crisis is increasing the frequency of extreme weather events, such as heatwaves, droughts, downbursts and flooding, in Europe and around the globe. They say storms are becoming heavier because warm air can hold more moisture.”