Po river level rises by two metres in 24 hours

(ANSA) - ROME, MAR 4 - The level of italy's longest river has risen by two metres in the last 24 hours at the Crescentino Po hydrometer near the Piemonte city of Turin area as a result of the latest bout of severe weather to hit the country, farmers' association Coldiretti said on Monday citing data from the Po River Interregional Agency AIPO.
    Further east in the Lombardy region Lake Garda, Italy's biggest lake, was said to be close to its historical highest level for the period.
    Coldiretti also said 50 extreme weather events including cloudbursts and windstorms have hit Italy in the last week, citing the European Severe Weather Database.
    It added that the high frequency of extreme events, unseasonal weather and the quick switch from hot to cooler bad weather confirm the trend towards tropicalization whose impact is compounded by construction and land consumption. (ANSA).