Red weather warning, the highest level, applies on Thursday in Emilia-Romagna and several other regions. Heavy rainfall is feared to trigger flooding, and on social media, massive water flows can be seen unchecked in several areas.
The situation is serious, the river has exploded, says the mayor of Modigliana, a few miles southeast of Bologna, to the news agency Ansa.
All schools will be closed on Thursday, and the civil defense is urging the population not to venture out at all.
The red warning applies all the way to the coast of the Adriatic Sea, where, among other places, the resort town of Rimini is located.
The storm Boris has been raging in countries further north for a week now. In countries such as Poland, the Czech Republic, Austria, and Romania, heavy rainfall and winds have caused extensive destruction and claimed over 20 lives.
During a visit to Poland, EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen promises, according to AFP, that affected member states will receive a share of ten billion euros, equivalent to approximately 113 billion kronor, as support to handle the destruction.
Corrected: In an earlier version of the text, an incorrect amount was stated for the support.
