Italy's Floods: A Devastating Reminder of the Climate Crisis

Rescue crews are working to reach towns and villages in northern Italy still isolated by heavy rains and flooding, as the death toll rose to 13 and authorities began mapping out cleanup and reconstruction plans. The extreme weather behind this week's disaster led to two dozen rivers and tributaries bursting their banks. More than 10,000 people fled their homes, some plucked from rooftops or balconies by rescue helicopters and others ferried out on dinghies. The drought-parched region had already estimated some 1 billion euros in losses from heavy rains earlier this month, but the regional president, Stefano Bonaccini, said the losses now reached multiple billions given the widespread damage to farmland, storefronts and infrastructure.