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Spring has arrived, but winter is still doing havoc in several Italian regions. The situation is most critical in Calabria, which has been hammered by torrential rains and strong winds for the fifth time in two months, resulting in landslides, evacuations, flooding, and tree uprooting. The Ionian coast has been particularly badly impacted, with traffic interruptions and many cars stranded: San Sostene (CZ) had 230 millimeters of rain in 24 hours. A tragedy was almost avoided in Capistrano, in the province of Vibo Valentia, when a school atrium collapsed: no injuries were reported, and students were safely transported home. A landslide in Crosia, in the province of Cosenza, forced the evacuation of 80 people from the historic center and public housing. Disruption was also reported in Sicily, specifically in Taormina, where an empty structure collapsed with no consequences. A yellow alert was issued yesterday for nearly all of Central and Southern Italy, affecting nine regions: Abruzzo, Molise, Puglia, Basilicata, Calabria, and sections of Marche, Umbria, Lazio, and Sicily. The largest concerns in the North are snow-related: 71 people were evacuated in the Biella area owing to unusually heavy snowfall, and there is a risk of avalanches between Valdilana and Valle Cervo. A new disturbance from Eastern Europe is on its way, expected to hit the Adriatic side, while strong bora winds up to 110 km/h are forecast in Trieste.
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