Italy braces for more extreme weather, floods

(ANSA) - ROME, NOV 4 - Italy is bracing for more extreme bad weather with risk of further flooding in some areas due to soil saturation, meteorologist Mattia Gussoni of www.iLMeteo. it said on Saturday.
    A new low pressure system originating in the north Atlantic is due to reach the northern regions on Saturday afternoon, before moving south to Tuscany and eastern Liguria by evening, bringing heavy or very heavy rainfall to the same areas affected by Storm Ciaran earlier in the week.
    The precipitation caused by that Atlantic low has saturated the soil, meaning that it is unable to absorb further rainfall.
    "All this translates into an increased risk of further flooding," said Gussoni.
    "In fact, the water remains on the ground surface without infiltrating, washing away the soil and increasing the risk of landslides and mudslides," he continued.
    "The water would then further swell the rivers", causing them to break their banks, concluded Gussoni.
    Seven people died and one other is still missing after strong winds and heavy rainfall caused flooding in five Tuscan provinces on Thursday evening and night.
    Other parts of central and northern Italy were also affected by the extreme weather, but not to the same degree. (ANSA).