Days after triggering extensive flooding in central Europe, Storm Boris is currently hitting the northeast and central parts of Italy.
In the central area of Italy, the cities of Marche reported severe flooding and disruption, while over 1,000 residents in the northeastern Emilia Romagna region had been evacuated.
According to reports, there are no confirmed casualty.
Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission, pledged €10 billion (£8.4 billion) in EU support for the impacted nations on Thursday.
After meeting with the leaders of Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Austria to discuss assistance for the region affected by the floods, Von der Leyen made the declaration.
The meeting took place in Wroclaw, a Polish city in southern Poland that has been threatened by high river levels for days.
At a subsequent news conference, Von der Leyen stated: “Extraordinary times call for extraordinary measures.”
Her comments came as Italy became the latest country to be hit by Storm Boris, a low-pressure storm that rushed across Poland, the Czech Republic, Romania, and Austria, killing at least 23.
Schools across Emilia Romagna have closed. Some roads were impacted by landslides, and railway traffic has been severely disrupted.
Authorities warned residents to stay out of their basements and to relocate to the upper floors of their homes.
Schools, libraries, and parks were shut in Ravenna, and the University of Bologna cancelled exams and lessons.
The city of Faenza has been hit the hardest, with the levels of the two rivers crossing it rising dramatically overnight.
High river levels have also resulted in sewage overflow.
However, authorities in nearby Bologna reported on Thursday morning that river levels in the city were under control, despite the fact that the weather alert for the majority of the region will remain in effect until Friday. Eastern Emilia Romagna has received red alerts for water and landslides.
