Five deaths have been recorded during Storm Ciarán in Tuscany, according to an updated report from the regional governor, Eugenio Giani.
The initial report documented three fatalities but emergency services discovered another two bodies on Friday morning. Several communes such as Campi Bisenzio, Prato, and Quarrata in the Prato province were adversely affected. Streets and fields alike found themselves submerged under floodwater.
While rainfall ceased Thursday morning, high winds continued to impede the rescue efforts. Before dawn on Friday, local authorities announced three storm-related deaths.
In Montemurlo, located 25 kilometres from Florence, two individuals fell victim to a rising river. Another casualty was reported at the Rosignano resort, according to the Governor of Tuscany.
Tweet translation: Devastating images. They are from the inspection of the affected areas of Campi Bisenzio, Prato and Quarrata. But our regional system responded with great determination. We have a great heart and strength and we will rebuild what we have lost. #Toscana come on!
In response to the crisis, the governor announced a regional state of emergency, advising residents to relocate to higher ground.
So far, Storm Ciarán has claimed 15 victims across Europe. Three people died on Friday when a sailboat capsized and ran aground on a beach in central Portugal, local authorities said.
The bodies of two men and a woman washed up on a beach in the centre of the country on Friday after a Danish-flagged boat capsized. The ages and nationalities of the victims are not yet known.
In Belgium, a five-year-old Ukrainian boy and a 64-year-old German tourist fell victim to the storm in Ghent. France is mourning the loss of two of its citizens, whilst the Netherlands, Germany, and Spain each report one casualty.
