Over 23,000 Displaced after Italy Floods

Over 23,000 people are still displaced in northeastern Italy, a week, after heavy rains caused massive floods and left 14 dead, authorities reported.

Most of these people have moved to live with friends or relatives, while about 2,600 are staying in hotels, schools, sports halls, and other centers established by local authorities, according to the Emilia-Romagna region in a statement.

In just 36 hours last week, the amount of rain fell equivalent to six months and contributed to raising the water level in 20 rivers and turning the streets into swamps of mud, and flooding vast areas of agricultural land.

Authorities seek to repair the Internet for hospitals, government, schools, and individuals in isolated areas and have begun distributing 100 Starlink systems made by Elon Musk's SpaceX company in the hardest-hit vicinity of Ravenna.

On Sunday, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni visited the hardest-hit areas after returning early from the G7 summit in Japan, meeting first responders, volunteers, residents, and local officials.

A cabinet session is scheduled for Tuesday to allocate funds to Emilia-Romagna, and the first installment will be used for emergency intervention and then for compensation and reconstruction.

Emilia-Romagna President Stefano Bonaccini has called for an immediate freeze on mortgage payments, taxes, and fees for families and businesses in the most affected regions, and in the longer term a comprehensive plan for “reconstruction, maintenance and security of the region.”