Rome and Lazio Battered by Severe Weather
On February 14th, Rome and the Lazio region experienced a significant bout of bad weather, characterized by heavy rainfall, strong winds, and widespread flooding. The orange alert, issued the previous day, remained in effect throughout the day. The adverse conditions resulted in numerous fallen trees, inundated homes and businesses, and power outages caused by lightning strikes on electrical cabins.
Montesacro Wall Collapse and Aurelia Antica Closure
In Montesacro, a section of a private building wall collapsed in Viale Tirreno, near Corso Sempione. The landslide affected the adjacent sidewalk and the outdoor area of a public establishment, Cibo. Fortunately, no injuries were reported. Additionally, Via Aurelia Antica, near Villa Pamphilij, was closed for several hours after a large tree fell across the roadway, miraculously causing no injuries. Traffic was severely impacted on Via Portuense and the Grande Raccordo Anulare, where multiple tree trunks blocked lanes, particularly towards Salaria. The Local Police of Rome Capital responded to over a hundred incidents, including a perimeter wall collapse in Via Fonte Buono.
Fiumicino Evacuations Amidst Sea Surge
A significant sea surge at the mouth of the Tiber River in Fiumicino led to the evacuation of 50 families from their homes along Via Passo della Sentinella. Firefighters, including a team of divers, faced difficulties reaching an 82-year-old disabled woman who was subsequently entrusted to the care of the local health authority. The Mayor of Fiumicino, Mario Baccini, issued an urgent evacuation order for the affected stretch of Via Passo della Sentinella, citing confirmed danger to public and private safety. The Civil Protection is also monitoring the situation at Idroscalo due to the area’s known vulnerability to flooding. In Rome, the Tiber River remains under close surveillance due to its extremely high water level in the historic center, with monumental bridge arches almost completely submerged.
Widespread Disruptions Across Rome
Roads were flooded, and bus lines to cemeteries were limited across Rome. Strong south-westerly winds contributed to the chaos. Emergency services primarily handled calls related to flooded homes, shops, and basements, along with numerous reports of dangerous trees and branches. Several lightning strikes affected utility poles, with a notable incident at the thermal power plant in Via di Grottarossa, where firefighters and Enel technicians intervened to ensure safety.
160 Firefighter Interventions and Landslides
By evening, firefighters had carried out 160 interventions related to the bad weather. Extensive damage was reported due to landslides across the province, blocking private and municipal roads and affecting several homes, leading to evacuations in areas such as northern Rome, Campagnano, Formello, and Bracciano. As of 7 PM, teams were still working in Fonte Nuova on a landslide within a complex next to a building that also involved a large, centuries-old oak tree. Other interventions included securing dangerous trees, addressing flooding in ground-floor apartments, and repairing various road collapses. Firefighter operations were conducted in collaboration with the local police of Rome and the province, and Civil Protection.
Viterbo Rockfall and Terni Flash Flood
In Canepina, Viterbo province, a rockfall occurred, affecting two homes in the Madonna delle Grazie area. The rock face gave way, causing a landslide of earth and trees that impacted the residences. Firefighters successfully evacuated the residents, who were fortunately unharmed. Emergency services, including 118 personnel and local Carabinieri, were on site. In Terni, firefighters rescued approximately twenty people caught by a sudden flash flood at the Stroncone sports field, including a disabled person rescued by helicopter. Numerous interventions for bad weather, including landslides and mudslides, were also reported in other municipalities within the Terni province.
Ciociaria Devastated by Landslides and Floods
The Ciociaria region was severely impacted by the wave of bad weather, experiencing landslides, floods, road closures, and rising water levels. The most serious incident occurred in Atina, where the sudden detachment of a large boulder necessitated the closure of Via Capodichino, connecting the historic center to the Millaenya disco area. Civil Protection and firefighters intervened to secure the area and inspect the rocky slope. Widespread critical conditions were reported throughout the province. In Cassino, the Rapido River exceeded alert levels, causing flooding between Cassino and Sant’Elia Fiumerapido, affecting peripheral areas and the Cassino cemetery. Law enforcement maintained constant monitoring. In Frosinone, a landslide on Via Ciamarra led to the temporary closure of the area near the multi-story car park. Mayor Riccardo Mastrangeli activated the Municipal Operations Center to coordinate interventions. The orange alert, issued yesterday, remained in effect for the entire day. Mayors activated their COCs and urged citizens to limit travel. The perturbation is expected to attenuate in the coming hours, but the risk of landslides and mudslides in hilly and mountainous areas remains high.
A1 Ponzano Romano Exit Closed
As of 1:15 PM on Saturday, the stretch of the A1 Milan-Naples motorway between Magliano Sabina and Orte, in the direction of Florence, was reopened after being previously closed due to flooding caused by heavy rains that had affected the area since early morning. Despite improvements, the weather situation remains uncertain, and the possibility of similar measures in the coming hours cannot be ruled out. Currently, traffic in the affected section is flowing on two lanes, with a 2-kilometer queue between Ponzano Romano and Magliano Sabina towards Florence. The Ponzano Romano exit remains closed from both directions due to flooding on the external road network. As an alternative, drivers are advised to use the Fiano Romano station on the D18 Rome North branch.
Rome Municipality Imposes Restrictions
In response to the orange alert, the Rome City Council issued an ordinance on February 13th, imposing various activity limitations. These include: a ban on recreational or non-competitive sports activities in public or publicly accessible areas exposed to meteorological phenomena; a ban on access, transit, or circulation in green areas, gardens, parks, and historic villas; a ban on any previously authorized activities in areas beneath suspended loads and tree canopies, and within their potential fall radius; the closure of city cemeteries to the public, except for urgent funeral services and mortuary police activities; and a ban on access to and practice in river parks and areas adjacent to rivers and waterways due to the risk of potential flooding.
Geologists Warn of Urban Vulnerability
Simonetta Ceraudo, president of the Order of Geologists of Lazio, stated that the bad weather episodes, with widespread flooding and traffic disruptions, highlight the vulnerability of urban areas to intense precipitation, particularly in heavily urbanized contexts. According to Ceraudo, without ‘sponge cities,’ flooding will become the new normal. Official data, she continued, shows that Lazio has a significant exposure to flood risk: approximately 12% of the regional surface falls within hydraulic hazard areas, with over 360,000 families and about 125,000 buildings located in potentially floodable zones, especially along major river axes and in urbanized plains. Criticalities affect not only the Tiber River and its tributaries, like the Aniene, but also the secondary hydrographic network and urban ditches, often modified or constrained by building development. During intense precipitation, these smaller waterways can quickly become overwhelmed, contributing to widespread flooding in more impermeable contexts.
Pluvial Floods and Urban Planning
A growing proportion of observed events are also attributable to so-called pluvial floods, phenomena that occur when rainwater cannot infiltrate the ground and exceeds the capacity of urban drainage networks. The progressive impermeabilization of the soil is indeed one of the main factors increasing hydraulic criticalities: when the ground loses its natural absorption capacity, surface runoff increases, and even concentrated precipitation can generate widespread flooding. In this context, strengthening territorial controls through continuous monitoring, maintenance, and widespread management of the hydrographic network becomes particularly important, Ceraudo concluded. Simultaneously, it is increasingly necessary to promote interventions for the renaturalization of waterways, aimed at restoring space to rivers and ditches, improving natural lamination capacity, and slowing down water runoff in inhabited centers. It therefore becomes necessary to orient urban planning towards models capable of managing water where it falls, through the principle of ‘sponge cities,’ with permeable surfaces, functional green areas, and stormwater management systems capable of reducing runoff peaks.
Source: https://roma.corriere.it/notizie/cronaca/26_febbraio_14/maltempo-a-roma-pioggia-e-allagamenti-strade-chiuse-bus-deviati-68a60b9c-0a44-4902-ad37-661d7a354xlk.shtml
