by InTrieste
Interview: FVG governor, Massimiliano Fedrgia
The small hamlet of Versa, part of the municipality of Romans d’Isonzo in the Friuli Venezia Giulia region, was inundated early Monday after the Torre River overflowed its banks, prompting the evacuation of about 300 residents.
According to local authorities, many inhabitants were awakened in the middle of the night as water poured into homes following hours of intense rainfall. Some residents sought refuge on the roofs of their houses as floodwaters rose rapidly around them.
Firefighters and civil protection teams used inflatable boats and helicopters to reach stranded residents. Medical personnel, law enforcement, and Alpine rescue teams from Udine, Trieste, and Maniago were also deployed, equipped with canoes and specialized gear. Temporary shelter was set up inside the sports hall in Romans d’Isonzo, where evacuees were provided beds, blankets, hot showers, meals, and medical assistance. Local residents have also offered temporary lodging.
The flooding caused significant damage to local businesses and farms. At Casa Versa — known as the residence where poet Giuseppe Ungaretti once stayed and wrote — livestock and poultry from a nearby agricultural enterprise were lost to the rising waters. In Vencò, a village in the municipality of Dolegna del Collio, the Michelin-starred restaurant run by chef Ana Roš Klugmann was flooded after the Judrio River burst its banks.
Other towns across the lowlands of Friuli were also affected. In Palmanova, the basement of the regional hospital was inundated, while in Visco residents were briefly trapped in their homes until water levels began to recede later in the morning. Flooding was reported as well in Torviscosa and several nearby communities.
Regional Civil Protection Councillor Riccardo Riccardi surveyed the hardest-hit areas by helicopter on Wednesday morning. He declared a state of emergency and requested national support to bring in assistance from other regions. “We expected severe weather,” he said, “but not with this impact and these consequences. The sirocco wind slowed the movement of the storm system and intensified the effects.”
Local residents expressed frustration, with some suggesting that a lack of recent riverbed maintenance — from the Versa to the Judrio and the Torre — may have worsened the flooding. Regional officials have not yet commented on those claims.
Emergency crews continued working through the day to assess damage, clear debris, and ensure the safety of evacuated areas.
