Heavy rains batter Italy, triggering floods, travel disruptions

Heavy rainfall has swept across Italy in the past 24 hours, triggering floods, landslides and transport disruptions, with northern and central regions among the worst affected.
The severe weather followed a 24-hour nationwide warning issued by the Italian Civil Protection Department for thunderstorms, hail and strong winds. The agency also placed five regions under an orange alert, the second-highest level for hydrogeological risk. The alert covered parts of Lombardy, Friuli-Venezia Giulia and Tuscany, as well as the entire regions of Lazio and Umbria. Southern areas, including Palermo and Trapani in Sicily, faced lower risk levels but remained on alert for flooding and related hazards.