Intense meteoclimatic events began this evening with the arrival of a powerful storm system over Tuscany, which is under an orange-level weather alert. A tornado struck the coastline of Versilia. In the Tonfano area, beach establishments, cabins, and tents have been reported damaged, torn away by the wind, along with equipment. Beach operators are currently assessing the effects of the severe weather. Civil protection units have been deployed in Massa due to flooding.
The intense storm front moved from Corsica and the Ligurian Sea onto the Tuscan coast, stretching from the province of Massa Carrara to the Livorno area, bringing heavy rainfall and strong wind gusts. Over 67 mm of rain fell in one hour in Stazzema (Lucca), with 51 mm in one hour recorded in Carrara.
The thunderstorms are expected to reach inland areas of Tuscana this evening, including the provinces of Prato, Pistoia, Florence, Arezzo, and Siena. Storms, with thunder and lightning, are currently ongoing in the Florence area and its province.
The City of Pistoia has issued a precautionary order, stating that until 7 a.m. tomorrow morning, all public parks, sports facilities, and cycle paths along the banks of the Ombrone Pistoiese river will remain closed. Events scheduled for this evening have also been cancelled, including an outdoor film screening on Via delle Pentole, part of the summer “Cinema under the Stars” series.
In Viareggio, an interchange on the ring road leading to the Cotone district was closed due to fallen trees on the roadway; road maintenance agency Anas is on site. Trees have also fallen onto parked cars in the Capannina area of Viareggio. In Torre del Lago, an electrical cabinet caught fire near a residence on Via Verdi; firefighters are on the scene. Wind gusts along the Tuscan coast have reached peaks of 100 km/h. The storm front is now moving east from the province of Florence.