Floods also hit Croatia, Bosnia and Slovenia.
People are being advised to limit their travels in northern Italy, after devastating floods that killed at least 13 people and forced thousands to flee their homes.
Heavy rains in recent days have caused 21 rivers to flood their banks in the province of Emilia-Romagna, submerging entire cities in some places.
“Vision” floods Landslides have also caused chaos in Croatia, Bosnia and Slovenia, with experts warning that climate-related disasters are on the rise in southern Europe.
In the capital of the region Bologna, the Tourism Board has urge Citizens should limit their travel to essential trips only.
The UK government has released a file Travel warningSaying, “It is advised to stay away from river banks and green areas affected by floods. Traffic is likely to be affected, including between Bologna and Rimini.” They urged people to check before traveling and follow instructions issued by local authorities.
Some travelers – including F1 fans – have canceled plans to visit the region. The Emilia-Romagna F1 Grand Prix scheduled for this weekend has been canceled as emergency crews are already exhausted by the crisis.
If you have travel plans to northern Italy, here’s what you need to know.
Flights to Bologna and train cancellations in Emilia-Romagna
Flights to and from Bologna Airport are still departing as scheduled, according to the latest flight Information.
The latest guidance from Guglielmo Marconi Bologna International Airport encourages departing passengers to leave their homes early, and to travel by public transport such as the Marconi Skyline (from Bologna Central Railway Station) or bus.
Italia Rail warns that high-speed, InterCity and regional trains are experiencing delays, road restrictions and cancellations in the Emilia-Romagna region. a statement Yesterday (May 17) I advised people not to travel for the next few days if possible.
Vacationers criticized airlines for continuing to operate flights to the area, without the option of a refund.
“British Airways They refused to recover the £1,518 (€1,747) that had been paid for the flights to Bologna of the day. At least 8 dead and 13,000 evacuated from the area due to flooding but we are still expected to travel there for a holiday. Thoughts with everyone who is suffering in the area,” a British man tweeted this morning.
“[I] Bought tickets to Bologna months in advance for tomorrow morning. It’s too expensive for my country because we don’t use it [the] euro. And now it’s flooding everywhere[andIdon’tknow if it’s safetotravel,” wrote another Twitter user[andIdon’tknow if it’s safetotravel]another Twitteruserwrote[ولاأعرفماإذاكانالسفرآمنًا،”كتبمستخدمآخرعلىTwitter[andIdon’tknow ifit’ssafetotravel”anotherTwitteruserwrote
I contacted Euronews Travel British Airways to comment.
Tourist sites in Bologna and Ravenna are closed
Those who choose to continue traveling to the area will find their sightseeing options limited by the flooding.
Among the major tourist attractions closed today (May 18) in Bologna These are: the Torre dell’Orologio Clock Tower, the Anatomical Theater and the Sanctuary of Santa Maria della Vita, as well as all the civic and university museums.
Cityred bus tours and the San Luca Express are still running, however, the National Gallery and Asinelli Tower are still open to visitors, according to Bologna Tourist board.
The popular tourist city of Ravenna, famous for its Byzantine-era mosaics, was also badly damaged by the floods. About 14,000 people were ordered to leave their homes on Wednesday night, due to fears that more rivers could overflow their banks.
“After the damage done to it, Ravenna is unrecognizable,” Mayor Michel de Pascal told RAI public radio.
Tuscany, Rome, Naples: Are other parts of Italy affected by floods?
Emilia-Romagna bore the brunt of the storm, as red alerts issued by the Italian government show.
But neighboring regions like the Marche and Tuscany – which were on amber alert – also experienced heavy rainfall.
To the south, the government issued yellow weather warnings for areas including cities Rome and Naples.
There have also been floods outside of Italy due to severe weather.
In the Balkans, the swollen Una River flooded parts of the north Croatia And northwestern Bosnia, where the authorities declared a state of emergency.
The mayor of the Bosnian town of Bosanska Krupa said the floods had submerged hundreds of homes.
“We have the end of the world,” Emin Halitović told the N1 regional network.
We can no longer count the flooded buildings. It wasn’t like this before.”
How can you help those affected by floods?
As one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world, many of them hold Italy close to their hearts.
If you want to show your support for the affected areas, the Civil Protection Agency of Emilia-Romagna has prepared a fundraising campaign “For people and communities affected by floods”.
The details (IBAN and BIC codes) of the bank account linked to the campaign are Available here.
All donors are advised to include “Alluvione Emilia-Romagna” (literally, “Emilia Romagna floods”) as the reason for their donation. All funds will be declared and used by the regional authorities.
The Italian Red Cross, one of the first organizations to offer aid on the ground, also has a fundraiser that you can support here.