Bad weather scourges the Veronese, Zaia: "Huge damages to the wine district"

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The bad weather alarm in the Verona area is strong, struck at the weekend by storms of extraordinary intensity that led the president of the Veneto Region, Luca Zaia, to declare this morning the state of crisis for Verona and the areas of the province of Verona flooded. The damage caused by the 170 millimeters of rain that fell in 15 hours to homes, roads, plants, public works and industrial and productive structures, which also put the harvest at risk, is serious.

The most serious situations are recorded in the east of Verona and in the municipalities of Monteforte d'Alpone, Zevio, San Martino Buonalbergo, Bovolone and in the areas of Soave and Valpolicella, including the wine-growing cultivations that make one fear for the precious Amarone grapes. "We will ask the government not only to declare a state of emergency but also to pay particular attention to citizens and businesses", explained Zaia, announcing the strengthening of the 36 teams of regional volunteers already operating in the territories. The decree on the state of crisis will remain "open" to allow mayors to complete the census of damages.

The rains that hit the Verona area have few precedents for quantity and intensity in such a short time: there were even 178 millimeters of rain in Santa Maria di Negrar, 162 mm in Pedemonte and 146 mm in Illasi. The Saf teams (Speleo Alpini Fluviali) have rescued several motorists who got stuck in cars in the flooded streets. Over 200 requests for intervention, with firefighters and volunteers working incessantly.

Many vineyards have been flooded and there is concern especially for the grapes that will have to be planted to make the Amarone: the beginning of the harvest in the area was scheduled for September 10th. Within a couple of days the water should flow out, but there is a risk that the vines absorb too much water, causing the grapes to burst and therefore therefore must be collected quickly. It is feared that hailstorms in the areas between Parona, Arbizzano and San Vito have already compromised the quality of Amarone.



Zaia: huge damages, scourged the Valpolicella
"The damage is huge, a water bomb that has literally devastated many Veronese municipalities. And in addition to damage to families and businesses, the storm has tormented a strategic production district for the economy of the Veneto region, precisely at the height of the harvest 'grapes and the subsequent vinification ". The President of the Veneto Region, Luca Zaia, who is following the interventions of the Civil Protection with apprehension and counting the damages, in close contact with the mayor of Verona Sboarina, embraces the concerns of winegrowers and operators of the most agricultural province of Veneto .

"Veneto is the first national wine producer with almost 11 million hectoliters - remembers Zaia - it has 52 denominations of origin and the prestige of the denomination involved in the Valpolicella and Soave area is unique in the world. "The impracticality of the countryside, due to the spread of phytosanitary diseases due to the continuous rains in the presence of ripe grapes, in these hours are added those inflicted on the vineyards, scourged by bad weather". "We will do the counting in the end, with particular attention to the effects on the harvest in an area that is so strongly suited. Meanwhile - he announces - I have given a mandate to the director of Avepa, Fabrizio Stella, to immediately release the Agency officials for payments in the primary sector to provide assistance to all agricultural enterprises victims of the bad weather of these hours ".