Causes and Impacts of Flood Events in Emilia-Romagna (Italy) in May 2023

From the evening of 1st May 2023 to 3rd May 2023, severe hydro-meteorological events occurred in the Italian Emilia-Romagna region, particularly in the provinces of Forl-Cesena, Ravenna, Bologna, Modena, and Reggio Emilia. Additionally, on 16th-17th May, another intense meteorological event occurred, impacting the Romagna provinces. Such events caused extensive flooding, landslides, isolation of many areas, evacuation of numerous families, and significant damages to infrastructure, agriculture, buildings, and essential services. Many hilly municipalities were cut off, and thousands of civilians had to be evacuated, losses of life occurred. The consequences beyond the recorded immediate impacts on infrastructure and life were impressive, and extended to the regional economy, specifically in the Fruit Valley, where, in addition to immediate yield losses, long-term damage to orchard production is expected due to persistent flooding. The civil and cultural building heritage has also been heavily affected, both in the countryside and in inhabited centers. Some of the damage, direct and indirect, caused by flooding on buildings will also see an evolution in the medium to long term that will have to be addressed. This paper analyzes the reasons that led to the atmospheric phenomenon to understand the increasing potential occurrence of similar events from the perspective of climate change. This paper document analyzes the causes and effects of these events, additionally considering the future impacts of similar hazards potentially occurring in the context of climate change. It is crucial indeed to remark how such events, when occurring in high density agricultural areas, have the potential to threat the entire regional production system for extended periods. For example, the alteration of direct physiological processes due to root drowning may compromise production of entire productive agricultural extensions and many years will be required to their replacement..