Rome, January 7, 2026 – Heavy rainfall has left its mark on Rome’s road infrastructure, with numerous sinkholes appearing across the city, resembling craters. Reports of damaged vehicles and widespread traffic disruptions have flooded local newsrooms, highlighting the severe impact of the ongoing bad weather.
Widespread Damage and Road Closures
The damage is widespread, affecting areas from East Rome to the southwest quadrant of the capital. Several roads have been closed to traffic due to safety concerns. In the VI Municipality, near Tor Vergata, via Gian Cristoforo Romano saw at least six cars suffer tire damage within an hour due to two large sinkholes. Daniele, a tow truck operator, commented, “I counted six in an hour, then I left with the tow truck. It’s dangerous to drive like this, especially for motorcycles.”
A similar situation was reported in via Naide, in La Rustica, where local police were forced to close the road, diverting bus line 543 to via Dameta. Tor Tre Teste, specifically via Tovaglieri 402, also experienced significant road damage. Via Salaria, in the stretch between piazza di Priscilla and via di Ponte Salario, was also heavily affected.
Traffic Disruption in Monteverde and Trionfale
In Monteverde, a section of via Ozanam, between via Catel and piazza San Giovanni di Dio, was closed to traffic following the appearance of two sinkholes, prompting intervention from firefighters. The closure was implemented as a precautionary measure for the safety of pedestrians and vehicles. As a result, bus line 44 has been diverted to via di Donna Olimpia and circonvallazione Gianicolense in both directions.
Via Trionfale also experienced chaos near via Pier Paolo Pasolini, where a section of the earth embankment in front of San Filippo Neri collapsed. Local police cordoned off the area with an orange net, causing further problems for motorists.
Flooding Adds to Commuter Woes
The adverse weather conditions have also led to widespread flooding, forcing motorists and motorcyclists to alter their routes. The stretch of via Appia between the Ciampino intersection and via Dei Laghi, and the intersection of Frattocchie with strada Del Lago Di Albano, were particularly affected. The underpass of Vitinia was also closed due to flooding. Similar issues were reported between via di Casale di San Basilio and via di Tor Cervara.
Ongoing Alert and Previous Incidents
The Civil Protection Department of Rome has declared a red alert for the Aniene river area, urging citizens to avoid unnecessary travel and maintain a state of precaution [repubblica.it](https://roma.repubblica.it/cronaca/2026/01/06/news/aniene_esondato_maltempo-425078484/). Over 150 interventions were carried out by fire brigades in Rome and its province for various weather-related incidents, including uprooted trees, floods, and dangerous structures [repubblica.it](https://roma.repubblica.it/cronaca/2026/01/06/news/aniene_esondato_maltempo-425078484/).
This recent wave of bad weather follows previous incidents, including a strong thunderstorm in August 2025 that caused over 100 interventions by firefighters and led to fallen trees and localized flooding [romatoday.it](https://www.romatoday.it/cronaca/temporale-roma-21-agosto-2025-danni.html). In April 2025, a water pipe burst in via Due Ponti, causing a large sinkhole and road closure in North Rome [romatoday.it](https://www.romatoday.it/cronaca/via-due-ponti-allagata-chiusa.html).
Train services have also been affected, with delays of up to 80 minutes reported at Termini station due to a fault on the high-speed line near Florence Campo Marte [romatoday.it](https://www.romatoday.it/cronaca/treni-ritardo-oggi-6-gennaio-2026.html).
The current weather forecast for Lazio indicates scattered clouds with possible rain and strong winds for the coming days [3bmeteo.com](https://www.3bmeteo.com/giornale-meteo/meteo-lazio-video–previsioni-aggiornate-744468/).
Authorities continue to monitor the situation closely, and residents are advised to exercise caution and follow official guidance.
Source: RomaToday, Repubblica.it, 3bmeteo.com
