In northeastern Italy, more than 36,600 residents were forced to flee their homes as floodwaters surged through the region. Regional Security and Civil Protection authorities in Emilia-Romagna confirmed the widespread evacuations and ongoing response efforts. The bulk of those displaced were in Ravenna, where 27,775 people needed to leave their homes, followed by 4,830 in Forlì-Cesena and 4,012 in Bologna. Emergency services have been coordinating shelter, food, and medical aid to those affected as floodwaters recede and safety assessments begin.
The agency reports that roughly 305 landslides have been triggered by the flood surge, while more than 500 roads have been closed either entirely or in part due to damage and debris. Local volunteers have mobilized in large numbers, with about 1,200 assisting residents, emergency crews, and municipal teams on the ground to maintain basic services and support recovery operations.
Tragically, the severe weather contributed to 14 fatalities as the situation evolved. National leadership responded with urgency as Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni left a G7 gathering in Japan to oversee the emergency response. Officials indicated that the prime minister would visit the hardest-hit areas in the coming days to assess needs and coordinate relief efforts.
Meanwhile, President Volodymyr Zelensky, who arrived in Hiroshima for the G7 discussions, is expected to participate in the expanded summit format on Sunday, underscoring the international focus on this crisis and the broader humanitarian implications across the region.
Officials described the floods as the most severe in a century for the area. Rivers across the Rimini to Bologna corridor overflowed after the heavy rain, testing flood defenses and complicating rescue and evacuation operations. A photo essay documenting the disaster and its impacts has circulated on social media, illustrating the reach of the damage and the human stories behind the official numbers.
There were earlier reports of flooding elsewhere in the region, including the Croatian coast, where heavy rains led to flooding in the town of Obrovac, highlighting how extreme weather events are affecting neighboring areas as well.