Over 100 Firefighters Hunt For Missing Grandmother And Baby In Tuscany Flood Disaster

A German grandmother and her five-month-old grandson are missing after a flash flood devastated their holiday home near Pisa, Tuscany. The disaster occurred when the River Sterza burst its banks, flooding the house where the family was staying.

The family, vacationing in Italy, contacted emergency services on Monday evening as floodwaters began seeping under their door. However, delays in communication and locating the family hampered rescue efforts.

As the floodwaters rose, the baby tragically fell into the water, and his grandmother was swept away while trying to save him, according to Francesco Auriemma, mayor of Montecatini Val di Cecina.

The baby’s parents and grandfather managed to climb onto the roof and were eventually rescued, but the grandmother and baby remain missing. Over 100 firefighters are searching the area, facing difficult conditions, including collapsed roads and widespread mud.

Nicola Cianelli, a firefighter, described the floodwaters as rising “incredibly fast,” with waves reaching up to 2.5 meters (8 feet) in height. The region has been hit by relentless rainfall since Monday, with more storms expected.

Tuscany has seen unprecedented rainfall, with more water falling in six hours than typically falls in an entire month, according to regional president Eugenio Giani. This is considered the worst weather event in the region’s history.

This flood follows similar devastation in nearby Emilia Romagna last week, where over 1,000 people were evacuated, and two others remain missing.