Soldier killed by falling tree as storms hit Italy, six regions on alert
A 46-year-old soldier died in Jesolo, near Venice, when a tree fell on his car during storms that put six Italian regions on orange alert on Wednesday.
A 46-year-old soldier was killed in Jesolo, near Venice, on Wednesday when a tree fell on his car during a storm, local media reported. He was on his way to duty when the trunk gave way and crushed the roof of his vehicle; emergency crews, including firefighters, were unable to save him.
Carabinieri attended the scene in Jesolo, and the exact circumstances of the fatal accident were under investigation, local media reported.
Six Italian regions, Liguria and parts of Piedmont, Veneto, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Lazio and Campania, were under the second-highest storm warning, orange alert, on Wednesday, as storms caused flooding and landslides in several parts of the country.
Venice prepared for high water, with the city's Mose mobile flood barriers raised by about 6am, Mayor Simone Venturini said. The sea was expected to peak at 110cm, with the water level in the city forecast to reach 90cm. Venturini said the barriers had spared residents and businesses a difficult day.
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What we know
- A 46-year-old soldier was killed in Jesolo, near Venice, when a tree fell on his car during a storm on Wednesday, local media reported.
- Six Italian regions were placed under orange storm alert on Wednesday as storms caused flooding and landslides.
- Venice raised its Mose mobile flood barriers to guard against expected high water, Mayor Simone Venturini said.
Why it matters for Europe
Storm damage across six Italian regions, from flooding to landslides, shows the scale of Wednesday's bad weather beyond the fatal accident in Jesolo. Venice's reliance on its Mose flood barriers to avoid high water shows how exposed the city remains to storms moving in from the Adriatic.
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Reported by 3 reports from 3 independent outlets in 3 countries.
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Questions and answers
- Where and how did the soldier die?
- In Jesolo, near Venice, when a tree fell on his car during a storm on Wednesday; he was 46 and on his way to duty, local media reported.
- Which regions were on alert?
- Liguria and parts of Piedmont, Veneto, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Lazio and Campania were under orange storm alert on Wednesday.
- How did Venice prepare?
- The city raised its Mose mobile flood barriers by about 6am ahead of expected high water, Mayor Simone Venturini said.
This article was written with AI assistance from 3 verified reports and checked under the ECTV editorial policy. Spotted an error? Request a correction.