by InTrieste
Severe weather wreaked havoc at Milan’s Malpensa Airport on Monday, causing extensive flooding that forced the diversion of 27 flights. Torrential rain, accompanied by lightning, battered northern Italy, flooding not only the airport’s terminals but also major access roads, leading to significant disruption for passengers.
Footage from inside Terminal 2 showed travellers wading through ankle-deep water as the rainwater breached the building’s infrastructure. Terminal 1 also experienced flooding, exacerbating the chaos as passengers and staff struggled to navigate the situation. Outside the airport, the highway leading to Malpensa was submerged, complicating access to the site.
The company that manages Milan’s airports, Società Esercizi Aeroportuali (SEA), reported that over 64 millimeters (2.5 inches) of rain fell within a span of just 80 minutes, overwhelming the airport’s drainage systems. The deluge led to the rerouting of flights to several alternative airports, including Milan’s secondary airport, Linate, as well as Orio al Serio, Turin, and Venice.
The airport’s operations slowly returned to normal by the afternoon, but the disruption caused substantial inconvenience to both domestic and international travelers. Passengers faced long delays and last-minute itinerary changes as airports worked to manage the overflow from Malpensa.
The extreme weather continued to batter other parts of northern Italy on Monday. In the Franciacorta area near Brescia, massive hailstones, some as large as golf balls, caused severe damage to solar panels, car windshields, and vineyards, further exacerbating the impact of the storm on the region.
Italy’s civil protection authorities have issued a yellow weather alert for ten regions, with more storms expected to move south into central and southern parts of the country on Tuesday. The alert extends to Umbria, Abruzzo, Molise, Campania, and Calabria, as well as large portions of Piemonte, Lazio, Sicily, Puglia, and Basilicata.
Authorities are advising residents and travelers in the affected areas to stay vigilant as the storm system continues its path across the country.
