After Storm Hans battered northern Italy in the runup to Easter, severe weather continued to lash much of the country this week. Since Tuesday, the conditions have triggered potent showers and thunderstormsand yellow and orange weather warnings have been issued.
With winds generally remaining light this week, the greatest concerns surround the risks from intense rainfall, as slow-moving heavy showers can deliver a prolonged downpour to a fairly localised area. The authorities have warned people to avoid high-risk areas such as roads with steep embankments amid a threat of flash flooding and mudslides.
Residents have been advised not to use basements in the event of rainfall and to report any drain blockages in urban areas. Meanwhile, northern regions are on highest alert for flooding after heavy rainfall increased soil saturation and heightened water levels.
The most severe storms have been towards the Adriatic. During torrential showers in the Marche region on Wednesday, multiple locations recorded 10-20mm of rainfall within half an hour, while farther south, in Abruzzo and Molise, there were reports of hail the size of chickpeas.
Although the weekend is expected to bring some respite, thunderstorms are likely to return early next week before drier and calmer conditions at the start of May.
In Kenya, heavy rain in Nairobi on Monday and Tuesday led to at least seven deaths in flash flooding. Authorities said the total could rise as more victims may be discovered downstream.
At least 60,000 people have been affected by the floods, with more than 500 forced from their homes, many within Nairobi’s Mukuru slum region.
Farther west, in Narok County, two people died after being swept away while attempting to cross a swollen river, and eight cows were killed when the tree they were sheltering under was struck by lightning.
Kenya’s primary rainy season, known as masika, occurs in mid-March to late May and is characterised by periods of prolonged steady rainfall interspersed with heavier downpours.
Alongside the risks of injury and damage posed by floods, the rainy season could exacerbate a cholera outbreak in the country, with sewage-contaminated flood water spreading infectious disease.
