Downpour in Rome strikes priceless monuments. Flooded Lombardy and Piedmont

An unannounced storm appeared over the Italian capital on Tuesday, September 3, paralyzing the city center. Not only did the infrastructure and public transportation suffer, but also Rome’s famous landmarks – the Colosseum and the Arch of Constantine. Authorities are assessing the damage caused by the downpour in Rome, while heavy rains have hit the north, bringing floods to Lombardy and Piedmont. Meteorologists warn that this is not the end yet.

Downburst: a catastrophic downpour in Rome

According to city officials, as of 2:30 PM on Tuesday, Roman firefighters were still extinguishing local fires. No meteorological bulletin predicted large-scale rainfall, though strong winds and intermittent rain had been observed since the morning. The cloudburst came in the afternoon. Within less than an hour, 60 mm of rain fell, equivalent to the local monthly average, with wind gusts reaching 90 km/h.

The downpour in Rome did not affect the entire city – the eastern districts and the historic center were hit the hardest. According to the Mayor of Rome, Roberto Gualtieri, this was a phenomenon known in meteorology as a “downburst,” a strong descending current in a storm cloud. The same phenomenon caused the Sicilian disaster on August 19, when seven people died on the yacht Bayesian after it was sunk.

Mayor Gualtieri added that in some parts of the city, a total of 80 mm of rain fell, which is the equivalent of 10% of the annual average. “We all need to reflect on climate change and its consequences,” he admitted.

Historical losses

During the downpour in Rome, over one hundred interventions were recorded by police and firefighters. The metro was also flooded, with two stations temporarily closed. Water entered the Santo Spirito hospital in the city center, and many streets and driveways were completely submerged. Several bus lines had to change routes when two streets turned into raging rivers. Firefighters also evacuated five boys trapped in the gardens of Villa Borghese.

The downpour in Rome unfortunately also affected its famous landmarks. A lightning strike caused fragments of the Arch of Constantine, currently under restoration, to break off. The arch was erected in the 4th century in honor of the then-emperor. Scaffolding supporting the Circus Maximus, the oldest and largest circus in ancient Rome, also collapsed, and the underground part of the Colosseum was closed for the time being to remove the aftermath of the storm. The total damage has not yet been calculated.

Another wave of rain hits the north

The downpour in Rome was unfortunately not the last meteorological disaster in Italy this week. In a second weather anomaly of September, heavy rains, hailstorms, and strong winds hit the regions of Lombardy, Piedmont, Veneto, and Liguria.

In Piedmont, it has been raining since Wednesday, and the entire western part of the region has been placed under an orange alert for hydrological risk. Flooding occurred in the capital, Turin, affecting the Molinette hospital, and water blocked the entrance to the emergency room. The Orco River overflowed, sweeping away a 58-year-old tractor driver – dramatic aerial photos of the flooded area were posted on the Italian fire brigade’s X profile. Two bridges also collapsed in the Val Susa valley, and about 50 people were trapped in the villages of Combe and Santa Petronilla. In the Val Chisone valley, a series of violent storms turned some roads into rivers carrying large amounts of debris and waste.

The situation in Lombardy is also dramatic. On Thursday morning, heavy rain hit Milan, causing flooding at the power distribution station on Via Ollearo. As a result, Radio Popolare went off the air for the first time since 1976. A video showing the scale of the flash flood was posted on the station’s Facebook page. The rivers Olona, Lambro, and Seveso also rose in the city, leading to the evacuation of organizations operating in Lambro Park. River water entered the sewers and was ejected through manholes in residential areas.

Authorities in Cogne are warning residents not to use cars or approach rivers and canals. A regional road was closed after the Grand’Eyvia stream overflowed. Water also traditionally entered St. Mark’s Square in Venice, where the water level rose by 99 cm.

According to the Italian meteorological station Meteo, the weather will improve on Friday and Saturday, and the sun will come out, but on Sunday, intense rains and storms are expected again over the northern and central parts of the country.