Storm Hits Florence After Days of Extreme Heat, Blackout Affects Several Areas

After several consecutive days of record-breaking heat, a sudden windstorm hit Florence this afternoon, causing falling trees, broken branches, and disruptions across the city and surrounding municipalities. The most affected areas include Campo di Marte, Impruneta, San Casciano in Val di Pesa, Campi Bisenzio, and sections of the Florence-Pisa-Livorno (Fi-Pi-Li) highway. Rain followed the storm, adding to the emergency situation.

The fire brigade received dozens of calls from residents reporting dangerous conditions and damage caused by the wind. In some areas, including central Florence, firefighters also had to rescue people trapped in elevators after power outages.

The blackout is the second in two days and is affecting neighborhoods such as piazza Brunelleschi, via San Gallo, and via Mazzini. According to E-Distribuzione, the electricity provider, the outage was caused by a double failure along the “Minzoni” power line, which serves a large part of the city.

This new disruption follows a previous blackout on July 1 that left shops and households in the historic center without electricity due to underground cable overheating. Temperatures reached as high as 40.5°C (104.9°F) this week, triggering multiple red alerts and putting strain on Florence’s power grid.

Local authorities have warned of ongoing risks, including fire hazards and further outages, and continue to urge citizens—especially vulnerable individuals—to follow health and safety guidance.