Storm disaster in Italy
Pentecost vacationers should now take this into account
The beach of the popular holiday resort of Rimini is under water after heavy storms.
© imago images/Independent Photo Agency Int.
In large parts of Italy, the highest alert level applies after severe storms. What should travelers be prepared for now?
In several regions of Italy, the highest alert level applies after severe storms in the past few days. Floods and mudslides have already claimed several lives. In the middle of the week, 21 rivers burst their banks and 36 cities and towns were flooded. Thousands of people had to be evacuated from their homes. Holiday regions on the Adriatic coast in Emilia-Romagna are particularly badly affected, with popular holiday resorts such as Ravenna, Rimini, Cesena and Bologna looking the worst. So is the upcoming Pentecost holiday now falling into the water?
Foreign Office advises caution
The Foreign Office advises in view of the situation to be particularly careful in the regions of Emilia-Romagna and Sicily. The highest alert level applies there. However, restrictions are to be expected throughout Italy. Inland, there is a risk of flooding and landslides, and storm surges could occur along the entire coast, including central and southern Italy.
Many roads are impassable and there will be restrictions on regional rail traffic, it is said. The A13 motorway between Bologna and Taranto as well as the train routes between Bologna and Rimini, Ravenna and Faenza and between Ravenna and Castelbolognese are currently affected.
The Federal Foreign Office advises travelers to follow the current situation on local and social media. In addition, they should observe prohibitions, signs and warnings and follow the instructions of the local authorities. There is also official information about the disaster situation on the website and the Emilia-Romagna Region Twitter account. As can be read here, have some sights already reopened in less affected cities.
cancel vacation? That’s what the ADAC says
In view of the upcoming Pentecost holidays in several German federal states, many are now wondering whether they can still cancel their booked vacation. According to ADAC package tours have a clear advantage in the event of natural disasters such as floods: Due to “extraordinary circumstances”, which significantly affect the journey to a trip or its implementation, the holiday can be canceled free of charge.
According to the ADAC, individual travelers cannot cancel their hotel just because the beach in the region cannot be used. A rebooking or goodwill option only arises if, for example, the hotel cannot be used due to flooding or the pool or beach access advertised in connection with the hotel cannot be guaranteed.
Weather forecast for Emilia-Romagna
Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg only start their Pentecost holidays on May 30th. Could the weather conditions improve by then? According to “wetter.de” the storm will move into the Alpine region in the coming days, but there is no all-clear. With temperatures around 17 degrees Celsius, it will remain relatively cool in the coming days, but temperatures will rise next week. According to Paride Antolini, President of the Region’s Association of Geologists, the consequences of the extreme weather are still to be expected in the coming weeks.