Floods in Florence

Google maps has Flood markers - started around Prato and moved down into an around Florence.
They have links to several Florence and area news sites and alerts (in Italian).
This seems to be the most urgent:
https://www.cittametropolitana.fi.it/criticita-nel-territorio-della-metrocitta-firenze-aggiornamento/

Some outlying areas have reports of road closures and some people being rescued by helicopter but in the city it sounds like some road closures or weight limits until after inspection. And these were yesterday the frontpage news has little about flooding except everyone being thankful so it at least sounds like they assume the worst is over.

=Tod

Last weeks there have been floods in the Florence surroundings as it is quite difficult to control the minor creeks and rivers, but in Florence city there has been no flooding and no damage. I personally checked the river level during the night between Friday 14th and Saturday 15th; the Arno river, while high, was much distant from danger level. And while in few hours it rained the same amount of a full month, it still rained only one fourth of the rain of the 1966 November first week. There is a big work that was simply not existent in 1966, namely the Bilancino dam and lake; the lake is used as a reservoir for drought times and as buffer in rain time; occasionally the Arno river may be kept artificially high to partially empty the lake and gain more space. It was hoped that the dam could be used to stabilize rivers overall, but there are simply too many homes built too close to rivers and stabilizing the Sieve river has proven too difficult. Still damages were limited; most damages have been in the Sesto and Campi areas due to small creeks.

Pisa was really in danger of flood last week and bulkheads had to be raised along the river. But there is a safety channel discharging part of the Arno water from Pontedera directly to the sea, bypassing Pisa, and the clever use of that channel made bulkheads only a safety precaution but weren't really needed.

Thanks for this information, lachera, very helpful!

I have been wanting to find out how everything was going from a first hand witness. These areas are culturally priceless.
Thank you very much for that update lachera.

Thank you very much Lachera! Your first hand reports are so helpful. Grateful for the somewhat limited damages, though some were clearly significant for those affected. Appreciate you chiming in as well Hiredman. Thank you both.

our family is going to Florence in late May and I curious to know if whatever damaged was caused by this recent flood will all be ok by then?

thanks
Eddie

I was in Florence from 3/21 to 3/25 and saw no affects whatsoever.

We were in Florence from 3/25 - 3/30 and saw no effects of flooding. We stayed at Hotel David and walked daily from the Ponte Vecchia to the Ponte S. Niccolo on the Oltrano side.

Thanks for the updates!

thanks everyone for the update!!!