Cogne on its knees after floods, mudslides hit north

Cogne was on its knees on Monday after
the wave of extreme weather, featuring torrential rain, flooding
and mudslides, that has hit northern Italy left the town cut off
and without water.

   
The evacuation of tourists from Cogne continued on Monday after
around 500 were airlifted out via helicopter on Sunday, with the
regional highway to the Aosta Valley town on the slopes of the
Gran Paradiso mountain blocked at three points due to mudslides.

   
Officials have said it could take weeks to clear the road, while
work is also needed to repair the aqueduct that brings water to
the town.

   
The damage caused to property in the town by the extreme weather
is huge.

   
The wave of extreme weather, which has claimed lives in
Switzerland and France, also hit Piedmont and other parts of the
Aosta Valley.

   
These include the ski resort of Cervinia, where Deputy Mayor
Massimo Chatrian said the damage adds up to "millions and
millions".

   
Scientists say the climate crisis caused by human greenhouse gas
emissions is making extreme weather events such as heatwaves,
drought, supercharged storms and flooding more frequent and more
intense.

   
Although there are many sources of the greenhouse gases that are
causing global heating, the main driver is the burning of fossil
fuels such as oil, gas and coal, sales of which generate huge
profits for the world's energy giants.

   
A series of recent disasters triggered by extreme weather have
shown Italy's exposure to hydrogeological risk including
flooding, mudslides and landslides.

   

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