(ANSA) - Cuneo, November 24 - The wave of storms and torrential rain that has hit northern Italy caused the River Tanaro to burst its banks on Thursday. Motorists have been banned from travelling in the area of the river near to the town of Bagnasco and highways agency ANAS has stopped traffic on a section of the Statale 28 state highway.
The mayor of Garessio, near Cuneo, said Thursday that he feared the northern town was facing a repeat of the devastating floods it suffered in 1994. "We are afraid," Mayor Sergio Di Steffano told ANSA via telephone. "The level of River Tanaro has risen above Garessio's central bridge, splitting the town in two. We have closed all the bridges, factories and schools. The bars and shops in the centre are flooded. The State highway from Ceva is closed due to landslides. We are effectively isolated. There are no reports of people in incidents but the situation is bad".