Exceptional Rains in Drought-Struck Northern Italy Kill 8, Cancel Formula One Grand Prix

Exceptional Rains in Drought-Struck Northern Italy Kill 8, Cancel Formula One Grand Prix
Firefighters are rescuing a person from a flooded house in Riccione, in the northern Italian region of Emilia Romagna, on May 16, 2023. Vigili del Fuoco via AP
The Associated Press
Updated:

CASTEL BOLOGNESE, Italy—Exceptional rains Wednesday in a drought-struck region of northern Italy swelled rivers over their banks, killing at least eight people and forcing the evacuation of thousands.

The heavy rains also forced Formula One to cancel this weekend’s Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix to not overtax emergency crews that were already stretched thin in responding to the rivers of mud that have torn through the region, wreaking havoc on infrastructure and homes.