Fierce Weather Brings Destruction to Italy and France’s Borderlands

Italy and France’s borders have been ravaged by extreme weather, resulting in avalanches, storms, strong winds, and landslides. The consequences of this unsettling phenomenon have been dire, claiming the life of a 16-year-old boy who was struck by an avalanche while skiing off-piste in Plan, Val Passiria, in Italy’s South Tyrol region near the Austrian border. This tragedy serves as a somber reminder of the dangers that lurk in the mountains, as the avalanche risk in the area stands at a level three, or “considerable,” on the European avalanche danger scale.

The region has witnessed a series of devastating avalanches, which have shut off three villages in the Gressoney area of the Aosta valley, an Alpine region near the French border. The avalanche risk in this area has caused numerous residents to be isolated, with over 6,000 people unable to leave their homes since Sunday. Additionally, avalanches have blocked a tunnel, making it difficult for those in need to receive assistance.

Italy’s north-west coast has also been severely affected by the intense weather. Thunderstorms and strong winds exceeding 60mph (100km/h) have triggered landslides in the Liguria region. The town of Savona has been hit by a tornado, and waves over four meters have been recorded in Capo Mele. The region of Alessandria in Piedmont has experienced flooding, and storms have swept across Italy’s southern regions and the island of Sardinia, where snow has fallen on the Gennargentu massif.

As the situation continues to unfold, several Italian regions remain on medium or high alert, bracing themselves for more extreme weather in the coming days. France, too, has been affected, with forecasters warning of a high risk of avalanches in the Alps following heavy snowfall on Sunday. The mountain area along the Italian border, where up to a meter of snow is expected at an altitude of 2,500 meters, is particularly at risk.

Heavy snowfall over the weekend has cut off access to several Alpine resorts in south-east France, with reports of 50cm of snowfall in just a few hours overnight. On the other side of the country, Brittany has been battered by strong winds of up to 50mph (80km/h) and heavy rain, causing flooding. A total of 54 French departments are under weather warnings, with four – three in the south-east and one in the west – on high alert for extreme conditions.

The timing of this extreme weather could not be more unfortunate, as it coincides with the start of the half-term holiday for French ski resorts. With the region’s slopes already bearing the weight of heavy snowfall, the risk of avalanches has become a major concern. The situation serves as a stark reminder of the power and unpredictability of nature, leaving many to wonder how such devastating events could have occurred in such a relatively short period.