Flooding also affected Croatia, Bosnia and Slovenia.
People are being advised to limit travel in northern Italy after devastating floods have killed at least 14 people and forced thousands to evacuate their homes.
Heavy rainfall in recent days has caused 21 rivers to burst their banks in Emilia-Romagna province, in some places submerging entire towns.
“Apocalyptic” floods and landslides also wreaked havoc in Croatia, Bosnia and Slovenia, with experts warning that climate-related disasters are on the rise in southern Europe.
In the capital of the region, Bologna, the tourist board has urged citizens to limit their travel to important trips only.
The UK government issued a travel warning, saying “It is recommended to stay away from riverbanks and green areas affected by flooding. Traffic, including between Bologna and Rimini, is likely to be affected. They urged people to check before traveling and follow instructions issued by local authorities.
Some travelers – including Formula 1 fans – have canceled plans to visit the region. The Emilia-Romagna F1 Grand Prix scheduled for this weekend has been canceled as emergency crews are already overwhelmed by the crisis.
If you’re planning a trip to Northern Italy, here’s what you need to know.
Flights to Bologna and canceled trains in Emilia-Romagna
Flights to and from Bologna Airport still depart on schedule according to the last flight information.
The latest guidelines from Guglielmo Marconi Bologna International Airport encourage departing passengers to leave home early and travel by public transport such as the Marconi Express monorail (from Bologna Central Station) or bus.
Italia Rail warns that high-speed, InterCity and regional trains are experiencing delays, route restrictions and cancellations in the Emilia-Romagna region. A statement yesterday (May 17) advised people not to travel for the next few days if possible.
Holidaymakers have criticized airlines for continuing to operate flights to the region without refunds.
“British Airways refuse to refund £1,518 (€1,747) paid for flights to Bologna today. At least 8 people died and 13,000 were evacuated from the area due to flooding, but we are still expected to travel there for vacation. Thoughts with all those suffering in the region,” one Briton tweeted this morning.
“(I) bought tickets to Bologna months ago for tomorrow morning. This is very expensive for my country as we do not use the Euro. And now there’s flooding everywhere (and I don’t know if it’s safe to travel),’ another Twitter user wrote.
Euronews Travel got in touch British Airways for comment.
Can tourists still visit Bologna and Ravenna?
Those who do decide to travel to the region may find their sightseeing options limited by the flooding.
While most of the major tourist attractions remain open today (May 19) in Bologna, the university museums are closed. The historic center is not affected and businesses there remain open.
Cityred and San Luca express tours are operating, and the National Gallery and Asinelli Tower remain open to visitors, according to Bologna tourist board.
They advise that the walking routes and cycle paths in the area around Bologna are not accessible and should be avoided at all costs.
The popular tourist town of Ravenna, known for its Byzantine-era mosaics, was also badly hit by the floods. About 14,000 people were ordered to leave their homes Wednesday night amid fears more rivers could burst their banks.
“Ravena is unrecognizable after the damage it has suffered,” Mayor Michele de Pascale told RAI public radio.
Tuscany, Rome, Naples: Are other parts of Italy affected by the floods?
Emilia-Romagna bore the brunt of the storm, as indicated by red warnings issued by the Italian government.
But the neighboring Marche and Tuscany regions – which were under an amber alert – were also hit by heavy rainfall.
Further south, the government has issued yellow weather warnings for areas including cities Rome and Naples.
There was also flooding outside of Italy due to the extreme weather.
In the Balkans, the river Una flooded parts of the north Croatia and northwestern Bosnia, where authorities have declared a state of emergency.
The mayor of the Bosnian town of Bosanska Krupa said hundreds of homes had been flooded.
“We have an apocalypse,” Amin Halitovic told regional network N1.
“We can no longer count the flooded buildings. It never was.”
How can you help flood victims?
As one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world, many hold Italy close to their hearts.
If you want to show your support for the affected regions, the Emilia Romagna Civil Protection Agency is organizing a fundraising campaign for “people and communities affected by the floods”.
The details (IBAN and BIC codes) of the bank account associated with the campaign are available here.
All donors are advised to include “Alluvione Emilia-Romagna” (literally “the flood of Emilia Romagna”) as the reason for their donation. All funds and their use will be made public by the regional authorities.
The Italian Red Cross, one of the first organizations to offer help on the ground, also has a donation campaign you can support here.
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