Aosta Valley requests state of emergency after floods

(ANSA) - ROME, JUL 4 - The Aosta Valley regional government has sent a request to the central government in Rome for a national state of emergency to be declared in the wake of last week's extreme weather in northern Italy, which caused mudslides and widespread flooding, especially in the areas of the mountain resorts of Cogne and Cervinia, sources said Thursday.
    Almost 1,800 tourists had to be evacuated form Cogne after flooding badly damaged the regional highway to the town on the slopes of the Gran Paradiso mountain.
    Civil Protection Minister Nello Musumeci said Tuesday that it will not be possible to reopen the highway for at least a month.
    Cervinia Deputy Mayor Massimo Chatrian said the damage there adds up to "millions and millions".
    ANSA sources said the request filed by the regional government was incomplete at the moment as it lacks as assessment of the overall cost the damage, adding that Civil Protection Department Chief Fabrizio Curcio is expected to complete the procedure next week. Scientists say the climate crisis caused by human greenhouse gas emissions is making extreme weather events such as heatwaves, droughts, supercharged storms and flooding more frequent and more intense.
    Although there are many sources of the greenhouse gases that are causing global heating, the main driver is the burning of fossil fuels such as oil, gas and coal, sales of which generate huge profits for the world's energy giants. (ANSA).