Storms, Tornado and Floods Hit Northern and Central Italy
Listen to the story
Bad weather is hitting the north and center of Italy. There have been big storms, a tornado, and lightning.
The region of Lombardy is asking for a state of emergency. This means the government must give help fast.
About 400 people had to leave their homes. There were landslides and floods in many towns.
In the Bergamo area, it rained very hard. Some places got up to 250 millimeters of rain. This is a record amount.
The rain fell mostly on the Orobie mountains. Rivers rose fast and water went into streets and houses.
People are worried about more rain and storms. Officials are watching the weather closely.
Vocabulary6 words
- tornado
- a very strong wind that spins in a circle
- state of emergency
- when a government says a situation is very serious and needs fast help
- landslides
- when earth or rocks fall down a hill fast
- floods
- too much water covering land that is usually dry
- record
- the biggest or highest number ever seen
- Orobie
- a group of mountains in north Italy
Quiz
Answer key
1. Storms, a tornado, and lightning 2. 400 3. True
Fill-in-the-blank listening
Play the audio again and fill in the missing words as you listen.
Bad weather is hitting the north and center of Italy. There have been big _____, a tornado, and lightning.
The region of Lombardy is asking for a _____ of emergency. This means the government must give help fast.
About _____ people had to leave their homes. There were landslides and floods in many towns.
In the Bergamo area, it rained very hard. Some places got up to _____ millimeters of rain. This is a record amount.
The rain fell mostly on the _____ mountains. Rivers rose fast and water went into streets and houses.
People are worried about more rain and _____. Officials are watching the weather closely.