Marche Governor Francesco Acquaroli
on Thursday announced a probe into possible "dysfunctions and
responsibilities" in the procedures used by the civil defence
department to cope with last week's devastating floods in the
central-eastern Italian region which killed at least 11 people
with two still missing but feared dead also.
Acquaroli, a member of the rightwing Brothers of Italy (FdI)
party which is poised to win Sunday's general election in Italy,
said the region would set up a technical commission "to carry
out an investigation aimed at establishing the regularity and
appropriateness of the procedures adopted and the conduct taken
by the competent organisational structures of the regional civil
protection (department)".
The commission will be tasked with highlighting "possible
dysfunctions and responsibilities" on the part of the
authorities which addressed the September 15 floods.
The governor asked the secretary general of the body to set up
the commission.
"It is a necessary act, to guarantee everyone," said Acquaroli
on Facebook.
Hopes of finding the two missing people have almost died,
bringing the likely final death toll to 13.
Rescue workers said Tuesday that they have found the tennis
shoes of Mattia Luconi, an eight-year-old boy who is one of
those missing.
Mattia was snatched out of his mother's arms by torrential
rain-swollen flood waters on the evening of September 15 in the
area of Castelleone di Suasa.
On Monday the boy's backpack was found some eight kilometers
from where he went missing.
A 56-year-old woman is also missing-feared-dead after the
storms, which also caused massive damage.
Ancona Chief Prosecutor Monica Garulli has said the failure to
alert in advance the towns hit by the deadly storms is one of
things her investigation in the regional capital is looking at.
"In terms of the dynamics of events, what has been found at the
moment is that there was no alert from the Marche regional
government to the towns (affected)", Garulli told RAI
television.
"The investigation is at an initial stage".
Some experts have said it was impossible to forecast the level
of violence of the extreme weather that hit Marche last week
even though torrential rain was expected.
Scientists say climate change caused by human activity is making
extreme weather events such as these storms more frequent and
more intense.
Premier Mario Draghi linked the disaster to the climate crisis
when he visited the area amid a massive relief effort on Friday.
"What happened today shows how the fight against climate change
is fundamental," he said.
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