Emilia-Romagna President Stefano Bonaccini estimated on Thursday that the latest floods that took 11 lives in this region in northern Italy will cost the country billions of euros.
Speaking for the local Rai 3 television channel, the regional governor compared the devastation caused by floods to an earthquake. Over 5,000 farms are underwater, he warned, with the government preparing to provide the region €20 million in support funds.
Thousands of residents were evacuated earlier this week, while the Formula 1 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix was postponed in response to the crisis. This is the second time this month that the region was shaken by bad weather, as two people died during storms in the first days of May.
