-
Italy witnesses its worst period of extreme weather in recent history

The Xinhua reported that amid record high temperatures, wildfires, hailstorms, tornadoes, and mudslides, Italy is in the grip of its worst period of extreme weather in recent history.
According to the Xinhua news agency, a leading climate expert has warned that the current situation may prove to be the "new normal."
The Xinhua said, according to meteorologist Roberto Morgantini, a specialist in extreme weather phenomena, events like those witnessed in Italy in recent weeks have become far more common in the last decade.
Morgantini told Xinhua, "back in the 1980s and 1990s, Italy used to see an average of an extreme weather event every month, maybe every two months."
He said: "Now we are seeing four or five a month, plus many, many smaller weather-related events."
According to the Xinhua, this summer, there has been no shortage of events in Italy to illustrate that point.
Major wildfires have raged on the island of Sardinia, and in the dry southern and central areas of the country.
The elderly, and other vulnerable segments of the population have been warned by local officials to stay indoors during the hottest parts of the day.
Read more: Turkey’s massive wildfires are about to destroy power plant
Heavy rains have sparked floods and mudslides in Lombardy and in the mountain region of Trentino, where around 100 guests were forced to evacuate a hotel when it was submerged by earth and debris. Dozens of areas around Italy have reported massive hailstorms in recent weeks, with hailstones the size of tennis balls causing damage to cars and other property, as well as to agriculture.
According to the European Severe Weather Database, Italian farm group Coldiretti reported at the start of the month that the number of ice storms in the country this summer was nearly triple that of a year ago -- averaging 11 per day.

Estimates from Confagricoltura, an agricultural sector group surveying damage, indicated total lost income due to damage to crops from extreme weather could add up to 2 billion euros (2.4 billion U.S. dollars).
"Agriculture is the first economic sector to suffer the consequences of the climate crisis this season, with fruit and vegetables ready to be harvested after a long year of work and investment lost," Confagricoltura said in a statement.
The country's Civil Protection Service even issued a warning to travelers, urging them to avoid the fires in the southern part of the country and heavy rainfall in the north, and asking residents to report even the smallest wildfire or mudslide to authorities.
Read more: Over 33,000 residents evacuated as Typhoon Lupit makes Landfall in China
Morgantini and other climate and weather experts say that while it is impossible to link any one specific weather event to the phenomenon of climate change, it is clear that the rising number and increased intensity of these events is more severe because of the impact of climate change.
"Today we are seeing the impact of the lack of action to confront climate change 10 or 20 years ago," he said. "We hear talk about initiatives to reduce the factors that have led to climate change now, and we should absolutely do that. But that won't have an impact now. We will see the impact of these actions a generation from now."
In the short term, Morgantini had some simple advice: "We have to get used to what is happening now, this is the new normal," he said.
Source: xinhua
You May Also Like
Popular Posts
Caricature
BENEFIT Sponsors BuildHer...
- April 23, 2025
BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”
opinion
Report
ads
Newsletter
Subscribe to our mailing list to get the new updates!