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Terrible news, indeed. The area is a favourite one for us and every time that we go to Bagni di Lucca we make a day trip to the Cinque Terre. It is also a very fragile environment and this catastrophe could cause tremendous damage to the area. My thoughts and my prayers go to them and I hope that there will be no more victims. If you get to the online site for Corriere della Sera they are constantly updating the information.

Sprostoni, thank you for the links, a terrible situation as Gala says, will be watching the news later tonight. Whilst it has been raining hard here most of the day in Marche, there is no flooding down in the valley, and no mud slides. Am thankful that we live at 400mtrs and are sheltered.

There is also a lot of information in the "Il Tirreno" site: Devastating! I remember that there were some members in the Aulla and Lunigiana areas. I hope that they will be fine.

Thank you for posting the links.  Such devastation.  I hope all my friends are ok.  Trying to find out about my own area now as its not far away.

Hi Joy I'm not sure which area of Liguria you are wondering about but if it's any use to you I heard from my architect today who lives in San Remo that that area is all OK

  How awful and scary 

Thank you for that.  My family are from Zeri which is top left hand corner of Tuscany.  I have been on facebook and seen some pictures.  It appears to be just the road up to the valley that has some landfall but apparantly the phone lines are down so no actual news from the valley. Keeping fingers crossed the villages are ok. 

There is a motto here for all thinking of buying property in Italy. Check out the lie of the land where you intend to purchase and keep away from Rivers and Water courses as foolding is a regular occurance here, also beware of properties on open slopes that could suffer from a landslide.

There is a motto here for all thinking of buying property in Italy. Check out the lie of the land where you intend to purchase and keep away from Rivers and Water courses as foolding is a regular occurance here, also beware of properties on open slopes that could suffer from a landslide.

Italy is very fragile land. A good explanation is given here: As you will see, the area concerned by the recent catastrophe is not listed; however, you can never predict what may happen. I also find these two reports most enlightening: I have been many times to Monterosso and I would have never imagined that something like this could happen. It would be good if someone from the area can tell us if members and their families are safe, although it will be difficult because electricity will be down for quite a while. We have friends in San Francisco who have family (a large one) in the Cinque Terre and they cannot get through. My thoughts and prayers go to them.

....I wish good luck to all the people living within the affected parts...

Submitted by on 30 October 2011 - 3:03pm "I wanted to post this on the thread about the current floods, but cant find it anywhere.I cant get on to page 2 of the threads. It's just that I'm amazed there seems to have been so little media coverage of this disaster in newspapers + on tv in England (there is a lot on the web) and most people I know are not aware there is a problem. It is an IMMENSE ongoing catastrophe, not just on the coast but in most of the province of La Spezia in Liguria, and part of Lunigiana in Northern Tuscany. It has been declared a State of Emergency.Bodies are still being found and more missing, animals dead, many people still without drinking water, whole communes cut off on all sides by landslides, houses and bridges destroyed in many area, many people still homeless. I know I am particularly concerned because my house is in that area (luckily undamaged and dry, but now only accessible on foot as the 3 bridges on the road leading to it have been washed away. In fact at present all the roads in the area are blocked), but nearly a week after the 20 INCHES of rain in a few hours created all this havoc, I would have expected to see more than just one brief mention on the news here. It has been described as an inland tsunami. My consolation is that I think maybe we will get a better road down to our hamlet, and that if our house can come out unscathed from that it must be situated in a good position. My heart goes out to those who have lost members of their family in appalling circumstances. One of the latest victims to be found had been in her car on the motorway when it was crushed by a pile of masonry from a collapsing house. Historic centres have been decimated. The area affected is bigger than most earthquake zones. I hope any community members who have a house in that area (not many in that part of Liguria I think) have escaped the worst of the damage. The government are donating emergency aid and there are sites on the internet open to receiving donations if anyone feels they want to help a little. If anyone can put this post on the correct thread, about the flooding, please feel free to do so." There you go Alma - this should also bring the thread to page one for you as I know you cant get to page two - another reason for Admin to sort out the glitches - again!

Links to two personal blogs

Thank you for the links, Casa Monal. It is difficult to understand how all this tragedy could ever happen. We have visited Monterosso and Vernazza so many times, walked down those streets that take you down to the sea and admired the work of those terraced "ortos" that are a tradition in the Cinque Terre. I guess that most of that is gone and the owners will have to start from scratch. But they are brave and full of courage those people of the Cinque Terre. Many of them had to migrate in order to make a living and only some of them went back to their homeland, which all of them kept in their hearts. They will rebuild the Cinque Terre. No doubt about it.

I am afraid that the same has happened everywhere. At least in Spain it was only mentioned twice. Everyone is more worried about the economy and other world events.... Mondo cane!!!!!

A 10th body has been discovered and there may be more as the debris and mud is cleared. Some inland villages have suffered as much as the coast. The situation is still critical and more rain is expected. I dont think it's as simple as researching the lie of the land before you buy. Liguria is well used to rain, but I dont know anywhere that could remain unscathed after 20 inches, considering 3 inches is considered a lot. It is like the whole of Cornwall being in a state of emergency with many parts still cut off. I cant believe the papers have shown no interest here, considering the rubbish they do print. At least they seem to be getting a lot of help and support from other parts of Italy.

I agree with Alma, those villages have been there for years, centuries, you cannot forecast something like what happened. Unfortunately, it looks as if the weather is not improving and they say that as from tomorrow there could be more problems:

Extreme weather conditions all over the world and a few earthquakes... Not very reassuring.

  So much devastation…very sad.