BOLOGNA – “You see a dramatic panorama of the damage caused to the roads and infrastructures of the Bologna area. We are going far beyond the estimates reported in recent days”, which spoke of 110 million euros for roads alone. “It will take months to make some sections safe, perhaps years in some cases. As a metropolitan city, we have men and vehicles compromised everywhere, from the plains to the Apennines,” says Bologna Mayor Matteo Lepore, who personally verified the situation today. in the municipalities of Budrio, Monzuno AND marzabotto. “We are together with the mayors and the affected communities in these hours, assisting them in any eventuality.”
“Given the presence of Minister Salvini today in Bologna, I ask him to make every effort to find the resources that will be needed. Billions, not millions for our Region”, warns Lepore. “In particular, I was on the Porrettana state highway in the Ponte di Loggiola section under the responsibility of Anas. It should reopen today, but the entire Porrettana landslide front must be secured with extraordinary interventions that have been expected for some time. Cages are needed to hold back the rocks and dirt as soon as the rain stops. That’s the way it is in many places. I ask the Minister for special attention to our mountain and mountain towns where the earth keeps moving.”
Some fifty landslides in the Bologna area
There are 49 registered landslides in the province of Bologna: among the most affected municipalities are Fontanelice (with 9 landslides), then Loiano, Casalfiumanese, Monte San Pietro. Landslides also in Monzuno, Imola, Borgo Tossignano, Castel del Rio, Monterenzio, Monghidoro, Castel San Pietro Terme, Monte San Pietro, Pianoro, Sasso Marconi, Bologna, Valsamoggia.
Schools: Longhena, Casaglia and Follereau reopen
Palazzo d’Accursio announces, after the latest checks, the reopening of the Longhena primary school and the Casaglia nursery, which were still closed due to landslides in the mountainous area, and the Follereau nursery which remained closed on Friday closed due to infiltrators that he had requested more interventions. The other schools had reopened on May 19 after a three-day break.
No access to parks
The ordinance of the mayor Matteo Lepore has been extended until the end of the emergency due to bad weather, which imposes “the prohibition of accessing and staying in parks, gardens and green areas along the watercourses present in the municipal area and parking under the trees in all the parks”. . Unauthorized persons are also prohibited from staying in public areas bordering all city waterways (rivers, streams, canals, etc.) and near bridges that cross them.
The ordinance, explains the Palazzo d’Accursio, was issued with the aim of protecting public safety and the normal performance of restoration and salvage work, taking into account the hydraulic criticality indicated by weather alerts and weather forecasts for the next days. In fact, it is very dangerous to visit these areas because the ground could move even in the absence of rain and landslides and falling trees could occur.
Non-passable bike lanes
Via degli Dei (from Bologna to Florence) unusable in the Emilia section, as well as part of the route of Via della Lana and della Seta (from Bologna to Prato). The Municipality of Bologna invites you not to go out and not venture on the paths on the Emilia side, due to the continuous risk of landslides (as also indicated by the new weather alert). Palazzo d’Accursio also renews its invitation not to drive through the hilly area “even where roads have been reopened. We are keeping some roads open to allow essential movement of residents and emergency vehicles.”