After deadly heatwave, storms bring Italy new extreme-weather troubles

A wave of storms was causing a

different type of extreme-weather trouble in Italy on Thursday

following the deadly heatwave the country has been enduring over

the last two weeks.

Trees felled by violent winds and flooding caused by torrential

rain provoked major disruption in many areas.

The Veneto regional government said its firefighters had

responded to almost 400 emergency situations after storms

started belting the area on Wednesday, mostly regarding fallen

trees, branches and poles and flooding, including in people's

homes.

The authorities in Friuli Venezia Giulia reported a similar

situation.

Trees were also toppled in the Adriatic city of Ancona,

including one that hit a moving car, fortunately injuring no

one.

Early on Thursday a huge cloudburst also hit Naples and the

surrounding area, causing widespread flooding.

While the storms have helped bring down temperatures in much of

the country, the health ministry still had two of Italy's 27 big

cities, Catania and Reggio Calabria, on red alert on Thursday

because of the dangers posed by the heatwave.

Scientists say the climate crisis caused by human greenhouse gas

emissions is making extreme weather events such as heatwaves,

droughts, supercharged storms and flooding more frequent and

more intense.

Although there are many sources of the greenhouse gases that are

causing global heating, the main driver is the burning of fossil

fuels such as oil, gas and coal, sales of which generate huge

profits for the world's energy giants.

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