New Study Reveals Italy At Risk From Extreme Weatherhttps://www.thelocal.it/20191119/new-study-shows-which-italian-cities-are-most-at-risk-from-extreme-weather A new Italian study has mapped the areas most likely to be affected by floods, heatwaves and other "extreme weather events" as they become increasingly common.... Italy was hit by 148 weather-related disasters in 2018, which killed a total of 32 people and left some 4,500 people displaced, according to
a new report, titled "
The Climate has Changed", released by Italian environmental watchdog Legambiente on Tuesday.
The rising number of extreme events such as storms, floods and heatwaves hitting the country has pushed government spending up in the past five years, according to the report, presented today in Rome as much of the country is dealing with the damage caused by a week of severe storms and flooding.
The map details extreme weather events across Italy in the past five years.The risk is greatest in cities, the report found.
“Cities are the areas most at risk from the consequences of climate change, because that's where the majority of the population lives and because episodes of rain, tornadoes and heatwaves have increased, and are destined to increase further, along with the estimates of the damage they can cause, the report's authors wrote.
Of all Italian cities, Rome suffered the highest number of extreme weather-related events, the report found, with 33 during 2018.
Milan was next with 25, followed by Genoa 14, Naples 12, Palermo 12, Catania 9, Bari 8, Reggio Calabria 8 and Turin 7.
The report also found that the average temperature in Italian cities is “constantly growing ,and at a faster rate than in the rest of the country.”
The study also highlighted 40 areas that are most at risk in Italy due to rising sea levels.
The list includes coastal cities such as Venice, Trieste, Ravenna, and Pescara, as well as the Gulf of Taranto, La Spezia, Cagliari, Oristano, and Trapani.