Much of Italy remained on
maximum weather alert on Friday amid a cyclone warning for
Sicily and torrential rainfall that forecasters said may take a
brief pause on the weekend before resuming next week.
Forecasters said a tropical cyclone was on course to hit
the Sicilian coast later Friday and its trajectory "is not
precisely foreseeable," Italy's civil protection department
said.
Measures were being taken to cut risks by preventing people
leaving their homes and workplaces, it added.
Schools in Rome reopened as the level of alert was lowered
from red to orange, but students in other parts of the country,
including the city of Frosinone near the capital and Catania in
Sicily, had the day off as a precaution with storms forecast to
arrive.
Despite the alert reduction in Rome, floods caused one
metro station to close on Friday after four were temporarily
shut on Thursday, and a pedestrian was hurt when a tree struck
her amid torrential rain in the Appian Way area.
The bad weather also contributed to major traffic
congestion in Rome, although the feared mayhem from forecast
"water bombs" of torrential rain did not materialise.
This triggered debate over whether the authorities'
decision to close Rome's schools and monuments on Thursday was
excessive.
Still, the situation was severe enough that the city's
fire-fighters were called to about 150 emergencies linked to the
weather overnight.
And part of a famous Risorgimento landmark in Rome crumbled
because of torrential rain Friday, city fire services said.
Water infiltration loosened bricks and plaster near the
breach at the Porta Pia city gate in the former Vatican-owned
walls where Risorgimento troops poured in to free the city in
September 1870, completing the unification of Italy.
Some light rain was predicted for Saturday, but Sunday was
expected to bring in sunny skies especially through the south as
a high pressure system will extend over southern and central
regions, according to forecasters.
"It will get better over the weekend where we will have
more glimpses of sunshine, but the rain will always be waiting
in ambush," said Francesco Nucera, meteorologist with
3bmeteo.com.
"You cannot talk about a real improvement; the lull will be
temporary," added Nucera.
In particular, a new Atlantic disturbance was expected to
roll in late Sunday bringing light rain to Piedmont, Lombardy
and the west coast of Liguria.
Looking ahead to next week, forecasters see more heavy
rains especially in Liguria and northern Tuscany while the rest
of the country should see temperatures return to above average
with few clouds.
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED © Copyright ANSA
