Heavy rain causes landslides in Tuscany

FLORENCE, ITALY – Two villages in Tuscany were left isolated on Tuesday, January 14, 2014, after a landslide cut off road connections with the nearest town amid heavy rains. Casette and Caieglia in the province of Massa and Carrara were cut off from Massa due to a rockfall triggered by heavy morning rains.

Several people were also stuck on board a bus as a result. Emergency services were at work to create an alternative access route to the villages, which have a combined total of around 1,000 inhabitants.

Farmers’ association Coldiretti reported above-average temperatures and below-average rainfall levels for the first 10 days of January. Maximum temperatures were 3.3 degrees above average in the north, 2.7 degrees above average in the centre and 2.8 degrees above average in the south, Coldiretti said. Conversely, precipitation levels were 42% below average in the north, 70% in the centre and 68% in the south, with negative repercussions for crops.