Tornadoes in Italy: 3 dead, dozens injured

Two powerful tornadoes have occurred in the region nearby the capital of Italy and left behind a disaster: three dead, dozens injured and damage. The first tornado has hit the coastal town of Ladispoli, Italy, with local media reporting at least one person dead.

The tornado that struck around 6 p.m. local time also claimed the life of a 74-year-old man in Cesano, near Lake Bracciano. The Italian news agency reports the man was crushed by a tree. The wind exceeded 180 kilometers per hour and ripped the roof and parts of the wall of a small palace, which fell on passersby. Another tornado has been formed in Cesano, where the storm’s damage has caused a traffic closure. Local authorities have decided to suspend school classes for today. A spokesman told that one victim was in Ladispoli, a coastal town 50 kilometres north-west of the capital, while the second died in Cesano di Roma, about 30 kilometres north. Also the Italian capital was hit by the violent storm, with thunder, lightning and torrential rain.

The strong storms in Cesano and Ladispoli have left at least 60 injured with ambulances battling to reach storm victims because of flooded roads and fallen trees. Powerful storms have left branches strewn across roads and flooding in some areas and a street in Rome was partially closed due to large branches blocking it, RT.com reported.

Italy has recently been struck by earthquakes, which reportedly left experts concerned with cracks and damage to the 1,936-year-old Colosseum. Tonight, photos showed the historical amphitheater under water. In Florence, the River Arno rose to dangerously high levels near the Uffizi gallery.