Lombardy to request state of emergency

(see related stories) (ANSA) - ROME, JUL 25 - Lombardy will ask the government for a state of emergency in relation to the extreme bad weather that is pummelling the region, regional Security and Civil Protection councillor Romano La Russa said Tuesday.
    "Yesterday we made an initial count and the damage already amounted to 50 million euros. Today it exceeds 100 million euros and I believe we will be forced to see this figure rise," La Russa told the regional council.
    For this reason, he said "with governor Attilio Fontana, we will ask the government for a state of emergency by the end of today".
    Also on Tuesday, Friuli Venezia Giulia Governor Massimiliano Fedriga announced a state of emergency in the northeast region, which he said had been "strongly affected" by the extreme weather.
    "Just think of Mortegliano, where the rest home for the elderly is being evacuated, or the private properties that have been dramatically damaged, not to mention agriculture. We have never seen such an event," said Fedriga, adding that the region would "intervene to provide rapid and efficient responses".
    We are drafting a 50 million euro amendment," he added.
    Photo: Lombardy Regional Governor Attilio Fontana. (ANSA).