Warnings issued in Germany and Austria, floods have caused damage in Switzerland and Italy
Days of heavy rainfall have created a flood hazard situation in Switzerland, Austria, Germany and Italy.
The Swiss regions of Ticino and the Rhine Valley have seen flooding and damage after heavy rainfall, public broadcaster SRF reported on Monday.
In addition to damage to school buildings, there was also fender damage to cars, flooded cellars and also small landslides that cut off two valleys near Biasca, according to the report.
SRF further reports that the Rhine River partially overflowed its banks on Monday between Diepoldsau and the mouth of Lake Constance. The peak of the flooding in the Rhine valley is expected in the afternoon.
As the St. Gallen Cantonal Police announced in a press release on Monday, the foreland of the Rhine as far as Lake Constance is closed. However, only isolated fire brigade operations have had to be carried out so far.
In the canton of Ticino, according to SRF, the water masses have caused damage mainly in the north. Two schools had to postpone the start of school after the summer holidays. In several Ticino municipalities, the federal government warned of drinking water contamination.
In Vorarlberg, Austria, the Rhine has been flooded since Sunday afternoon. In parts of Tyrol, the highest rain warning level is in effect. The emergency services in Carinthia are again on heightened alert. According to the state, "there will be large-scale storms."
The German Weather Service (DWD) also issued a weather warning for southern Germany on Monday. According to meteorologists, heavy rain and thunderstorms are to be expected in the southern foothills of the Alps. In addition, individual heavy thunderstorms may occur in southeastern Bavaria. Flooding of streams and rivers as well as flooding of roads are possible.
The wave of severe bad weather hit northern-western Italy too, causing floods and damages to homes and infrastructure.
River Adda and another smaller river broke their banks and flooded the nearby roads and areas, suspending traffic and forcing some 10 people to be evacuated, according to Italy's firefighters on Twitter.
Train traffic between Paris and Milan suffered delays and suspensions due to overnight landslides in France’s Savoy region. Heavy wind and rain damaged houses and trees in Lombardy, especially Milan and parts of Piedmont, with firefighters saying they had to intervene on hundreds of occasions.
As a sign of the extreme weather suffered by these areas, Milan recorded its hottest day since 1973 on Aug. 25. More storms are expected to hit these areas later on Monday, with many parts of north-western Italy on red alert.
The severe bad weather will likely hit central Italy in the coming hours and days, meteorologists say.
*Giovanni Legorano contributed to this report from Rome.
