Storms kill two in northern Italy, Palermo airport reopens after fire

Two women were killed and a 16-year-old boy seriously injured as severe storms battered the northern part of Italy overnight, while a wildfire in Sicily forced the temporary closure of Palermo airport.

 

With much of southern Italy still reeling under a severe heatwave, the overnight storm in Milan tore off roofs and uprooted hundreds of trees, blocking roads, smashing parked cars and disrupting overground transportation in the Italian financial capital.

 

In the northern Monza and Brescia provinces, two women were killed after being crushed by falling trees, while a teenager was seriously injured when he was hit



by a falling branch in the Veneto region.

 

In other parts of Italy, the heatwave engulfing southern Europe maintained its grip, with 16 Italian cities on red alert today because of the high temperatures.

 

In some parts of eastern Sicily, temperatures rose to 47.6 degrees Celsius yesterday, close to a record European high of 48.8 degrees Celsius recorded on the island two years ago.

 

Palermo's airport operator said, flights were able to take off and land again later today after a nearby wildfire had earlier put it out of action.