About 100 people could not return home Thursday after a landslide blocked roads serving Casette and Forno, two hamlets near Massa, as heavy rain swelled the nearby Frigido River, Il Tirreno reported.
The municipality prepared a reception center at a sports hall. Many affected residents stayed with relatives, while the municipality said five people stayed in accommodation it provided. A shuttle helped residents cross the disrupted route. The road toward Forno was usable again by Thursday evening; only emergency and civil protection vehicles could reach Casette. Il Tirreno’s later report also noted a suspension of water service.
The Frigido overflowed near its mouth, prompting crews to reinforce embankments. Mayor Francesco Persiani told Il Tirreno that rainfall had reached 200 to 300 millimeters in a few hours and described the river as one that responds quickly to rain. By 7 p.m. CET Thursday (1800 UTC), the river was under control and remained under monitoring, Il Tirreno reported.
Italy’s Civil Protection Department issued a red alert for northwestern Tuscany Thursday as forecasts called for widespread rain and storms. A later bulletin listed an orange alert for parts of Tuscany Friday, Nov. 13. The department updates its national risk outlook daily as forecasts change.
