Tragic Floods in Italy Claim Lives and Raise Questions
In a heart-wrenching event in Italy, two young women lost their lives and a man remains missing after being swept away by the Natisone River's floodwaters on May 31. Heavy rainfall in the Friuli-Venezia Giulia region led to a sudden rise in water levels, transforming a peaceful day into a tragedy.
The victims, identified as Patrizia Cormos, 20, and Bianca Doros, 23, were enjoying a picnic with Cristian Casian Molnar, 25, near the town of Premariacco. Despite being in an area under yellow alert due to rising water levels, the trio appeared unprepared for the alarming velocity with which the river swelled—from 20 cubic meters per second to 135 cubic meters per second within an hour and a half.
Eyewitness footage shared on social media captured the harrowing moments leading up to the disaster. The three were seen clinging to each other, desperately trying to resist the powerful current. However, their efforts were in vain, and they were ultimately swept away. The situation has sparked outrage, particularly from the mother of one of the deceased, who criticized bystanders for filming instead of attempting a rescue.
The grieving mother revealed that her daughter made multiple calls to emergency services, but help arrived too late. This delay has led to a public prosecutor's investigation into potential negligent homicide. According to Udine prosecutor Massimo Lia, the inquiry will assess whether the rescue operations were timely and if any procedural errors contributed to the tragic outcome.
Intense search operations involving helicopters and drones eventually led to the recovery of the women's bodies and some personal belongings, including a handbag and cell phone. However, there are still no signs of Molnar, the third individual swept away.
The investigation is still in its preliminary stages, with authorities keen on determining the exact sequence of events and any contributing factors to this devastating incident. The community remains in mourning while also seeking answers and accountability for the preventable loss of young lives.
- Videos from the scene have been widely circulated on social media, eliciting strong emotional reactions from the public. The footage shows the three individuals desperately trying to hold onto each other as the river's current becomes increasingly forceful.
- The tragic event has brought to light the importance of adhering to weather warnings and promptly evacuating areas under alert for natural disasters.
- Local government agencies and emergency responders are under scrutiny for their handling of the situation, with many calling for an overhaul of existing procedures to prevent future tragedies of this kind.
