Severe weather continues to hit central and southern Italy with incessant rain, snow, and wind, causing floods, evacuations, serious road disruptions, and rail disruptions.

This morning, the bridge over the Trigno River along State Road 16 "Adriatica" in Molise, near Montenero di Bisaccia, collapsed. The bridge had been under observation since yesterday, when the road was closed due to the river's swollen banks. Road connections with Abruzzo are virtually interrupted. The collapse was reported by Pierfrancesco Assogna, head of the Montenero di Bisaccia local police force, who was on site to monitor the state road, which was closed yesterday afternoon due to flooding following the Trigno River's overflow.

In Abruzzo, the flooding of the Osento River has suspended traffic on the Adriatic line, severing connections between the north and south of the country. Firefighters responded to the fires over 200 times in the last 24 hours between the two regions, while the Civil Protection Department activated its national crisis unit, headed by Department Head Fabio Ciciliano.

The most critical situation is in Lower Molise. Schools are closed in approximately 30 municipalities, and public offices are closed in several towns. Rescuers have responded extensively, including the rescue of a motorist swept away by the Sinarca River last night . Molise Regional President Francesco Roberti, along with Civil Protection officials, is inspecting the affected areas and is in constant contact with the prefect, mayors, and firefighters to coordinate the emergency.

Much of Lower Molise has been inundated, with thousands of hectares of farmland and vegetable, grain, and fodder crops affected, according to initial monitoring by Coldiretti. The opposite scenario is true in Upper Molise, where the storm has brought a violent snowstorm: in Capracotta, snow accumulations exceeded 1.5 meters in some places, with freezing temperatures. In Abruzzo, the emergency is primarily related to waterways: beyond the Osento, eight rivers have exceeded the warning threshold, with hundreds of interventions required for flooding, landslides, and fallen trees.

Widespread criticality is also evident in Puglia, with an orange alert issued for the entire region. In the Foggia area, the Fortore and Cervaro rivers are overflowing, causing flooding and the closure of numerous provincial roads; rail traffic between Benevento and Foggia is suspended. The Caserta-Foggia line remains closed due to flooded tracks, while trains on the Foggia-Bari line are experiencing severe delays and cancellations. Numerous motorists were rescued after being trapped in water and mud. In the Bari area, firefighters responded to dozens of calls for flooding and collapses, also causing damage in the countryside around Brindisi and Matera, where crops are affected. Disruption is also occurring in Campania and Basilicata: in the Sannio area, interventions are required for fallen trees and a gas leak, while in the Avellino area, the Cervaro River is overflowing, flooding roads and stranding travelers in train stations. In Basilicata, a landslide has led to the closure of State Road 92.

According to forecasts, the bad weather will persist for another 48 hours, especially in the Adriatic regions, with heavy rain and snow in the Apennines, before a gradual improvement is expected over the weekend.

(Unioneonline/D)

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