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MILAN – Nine members of two families were killed in the same house in Sicily when torrential rains and strong winds that hit Italy caused the bursting of a river on Tuesday night.
In a few moments, living waters invaded the villa where the families resided, drowning the ones inside.
A father and his daughter escaped injuries because they had left home to do their shopping. A third person climbed a tree to survive.
Deaths at the Casteldaccia villa in the province of Palermo brought to 12 the number of people killed in Sicily this weekend. Three other people died in their car, hit by torrents of water.
Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte spoke of an "immense tragedy" during a Sunday visit to the stricken areas of Sicily. He said a cabinet meeting would be convened this week to declare the state of emergency and present the first package of aid to the affected areas.
The most serious damage was recorded in the northern regions of Trentino and Veneto. Saturday, the governor of Veneto, Luca Zaia, said the cost of damage in the region amounted to at least one billion euros, or $ 1.14 billion.
Interior Minister Matteo Salvini said that $ 285 million had been allocated for relief during a visit to the northern regions hit by a shock Sunday. Mr Salvini, also Deputy Prime Minister, said that it would cost about 40 billion euros, or about 45.5 billion dollars, to protect Italy from such events in Italy. # 39; future.
