The Italian government declared a state of emergency on Tuesday after a storm, known locally as Cyclone Cleopatra, killed at least 17 people and damaged bridges, roads and homes on the island of Sardinia, a popular tourist destination in the Mediterranean.
Despite evacuation orders and warnings of “elevated” risk from Italy’s civil protection alert system, Sardinia residents were unprepared for the torrential rainstorm. The storm dumped over 17.3 inches of rain (about half of the island’s normal annual rainfall) onto the island in 24 hours, according to USA Today.
The government’s immediate priority “is to safeguard human life and help those who have lost their homes,” said Italian Prime Minister Enrico Letta after an emergency cabinet meeting on Tuesday, according to The New York Times. Letta said the government has allocated $27 million dollars for immediate emergency relief.
"Disasters like this have never happened. We don't remember a disaster like this," said Marco Vargiu, Olbia’s councilor for tourism, according to CNN.
The death toll is expected to rise as rescuers reach more isolated areas of the island. Other parts of Italy also experienced heavy rains on Tuesday, including Rome and Venice.