Saudi-European Parliamentary Friendship Committee discusses cooperation during Strasbourg visit    Diriyah to host third IMFC Deputies meeting under Saudi chairmanship    15,135 decisions taken to penalize Saudis and expats for violations    Saudi stock market loses half a trillion riyals, with Aramco's losses amounting to SR340 billion Tariff turmoil rattles Gulf markets    KAU to host Digital Communication Conference in Jeddah from April 29 to May 1    TGA: Riyadh tops with 45% of 290 million orders delivered in 2024    Aja and Salma mountains draw nature lovers to Hail's rugged landscapes    US revokes all visas for South Sudanese nationals over deportation dispute    Death toll from Myanmar earthquake rises to 3,471    Macron to hold Gaza summit with Egypt and Jordan in Cairo    Benzema rescues Al Ittihad with stoppage-time equalizer in thrilling Jeddah Derby    Al Qadsiah and Al Ettifaq share spoils in tense Eastern Derby stalemate    Moussa Diaby praises Al Ittihad's resilience after Jeddah Derby draw "When you can't win, you take a point"    Saudi assistant referee Iman Al Madani joins AFC elite list for 2025    Riyadh Art Week launches with over 50 galleries showcasing global artistic dialogue    Turki Al-Sheikh announces five new Saudi film projects to be produced in Riyadh    Saudi Ministry of Education to showcase innovations at 2025 Geneva International Exhibition    Ed Sheeran weaves Persian music into new song, Azizam    Al-Jadaan: Crown Prince's directives confirm government's ability to bring back balance to real estate market    Veteran Bollywood actor Manoj Kumar dies at 87    Screen time in bed linked to insomnia, study finds    Bollywood actress vindicated over boyfriend's death after media hounding    Grand Mufti rules against posting prayers and preaching in mosques on social media    King Salman prays for peace and stability for Palestinians in Ramadan message King reaffirms Saudi Arabia's commitment to serving the Two Holy Mosques and pilgrims    Exotic Taif Roses Simulation Performed at Taif Rose Festival    Asian shares mixed Tuesday    Weather Forecast for Tuesday    Saudi Tourism Authority Participates in Arabian Travel Market Exhibition in Dubai    Minister of Industry Announces 50 Investment Opportunities Worth over SAR 96 Billion in Machinery, Equipment Sector    HRH Crown Prince Offers Condolences to Crown Prince of Kuwait on Death of Sheikh Fawaz Salman Abdullah Al-Ali Al-Malek Al-Sabah    HRH Crown Prince Congratulates Santiago Peña on Winning Presidential Election in Paraguay    SDAIA Launches 1st Phase of 'Elevate Program' to Train 1,000 Women on Data, AI    41 Saudi Citizens and 171 Others from Brotherly and Friendly Countries Arrive in Saudi Arabia from Sudan    Saudi Arabia Hosts 1st Meeting of Arab Authorities Controlling Medicines    General Directorate of Narcotics Control Foils Attempt to Smuggle over 5 Million Amphetamine Pills    NAVI Javelins Crowned as Champions of Women's Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) Competitions    Saudi Karate Team Wins Four Medals in World Youth League Championship    Third Edition of FIFA Forward Program Kicks off in Riyadh    Evacuated from Sudan, 187 Nationals from Several Countries Arrive in Jeddah    SPA Documents Thajjud Prayer at Prophet's Mosque in Madinah    SFDA Recommends to Test Blood Sugar at Home Two or Three Hours after Meals    SFDA Offers Various Recommendations for Safe Food Frying    SFDA Provides Five Tips for Using Home Blood Pressure Monitor    SFDA: Instant Soup Contains Large Amounts of Salt    Mawani: New shipping service to connect Jubail Commercial Port to 11 global ports    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Delivers Speech to Pilgrims, Citizens, Residents and Muslims around the World    Sheikh Al-Issa in Arafah's Sermon: Allaah Blessed You by Making It Easy for You to Carry out This Obligation. Thus, Ensure Following the Guidance of Your Prophet    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques addresses citizens and all Muslims on the occasion of the Holy month of Ramadan    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



Storms ravage northern Italy as Sicily burns
Published in The Saudi Gazette on 25 - 07 - 2023

Extreme weather has been battering Italy from north to south.
Wildfires are raging in Sicily after weeks of record-breaking temperatures, with local media warning that the city of Palermo is "encircled" by fires.
Meanwhile, northern regions are reeling from violent storms and high winds that uprooted trees and lifted roofs off buildings.
In some places, tennis ball-sized hailstones injured people, damaged cars and destroyed crops.
A 16-year-old girl was killed when a tree fell on the tent she was sleeping in at a summer camp near the city of Brescia, while a middle-aged woman died after also being hit by a falling tree in Lissone, north of Milan.
Overnight, the regions of Lombardy and Veneto experienced torrential rainfall and extremely strong winds, which reached 100km/h (62mph) in Milan.
On Tuesday, local authorities told residents to stay away from public parks, as there is a high risk that branches might snap off trees.
One of the city's main attractions, the 15th-Century Sforza Castle, was closed to the public on Tuesday "due to damage caused by severe weather".
The mayor of the city, Giuseppe Sala, said: "I have never seen anything like this... We can't deny it any longer — climate change is changing our lives.
"We can't pretend it's not happening and we absolutely can't keep doing nothing," Sala said in a video shared on Facebook.
Meanwhile, Sicily — which has already been brought to its knees by a prolonged heatwave — is battling wildfires that are threatening towns and cities across the island. Temperatures of more than 47.5C (117F) were recorded in Catania on Monday.
Several resorts and tourist hotspots around the island have begun evacuating their guests.
Palermo Airport was temporarily closed to air traffic on Tuesday morning after wildfires in the hills around it reached the airport perimeter.
Local media reported that a firefighter was seriously injured near Palermo while trying to tackle one of the blazes, which are being fueled by high winds.
Half of the bus network in Palermo has been suspended as the vehicles are overheating and cannot cool down because of consistently high temperatures.
Hospital Cervello, in the north of the city, is being threatened by the flames, while some wards have been evacuated, Italian media said.
More than 200 people in Palermo have already sought medical attention for smoke inhalation. Two hospitals have suspended routine appointments to ensure people suffering from smoke inhalation or other illnesses related to the extreme heat can be looked after.
Media also reported that an 88-year-old woman died after falling ill, as the fires prevented emergency services reaching her.
The farmers' association, Coldiretti, said Sicily was facing an "unprecedented catastrophe and incalculable environmental damage".
The minister for civil protection, Nello Musumeci, wrote on Facebook: "This is one of the hardest days in Italy's history for 10 years. Climate change has hit our nation and demands that we all change our ways. There are no excuses."
"We knew that today would be the hardest day," Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni told Italian radio RTL 102.5.
"We have a situation where very high temperatures are combined with wind, which makes using Canadair [firefighting aircraft] impossible."
"We are following the situation, which is very delicate, minute by minute."
Several regions have asked the government to declare a state of emergency. — BBC


Clic here to read the story from its source.