Operation Aqua Vita
- Duration
- 12 November 1966 - 9 December 1996
- Military personnel
- 140
- Fatalities
- none
- Decorations
- none
In the second half of October and the beginning of November 1966, Central Italy was hit by heavy rainfall, with particularly disastrous consequences in Florence (Firenze). On the night of 4-5 November 1966, a fierce storm raged over the city. A huge mudslide which ended up in the Arno river raised the water level so high that the river burst its banks.
Tidal wave over the city
The pressure on the dam to the east of Florence became so great that it was in danger of collapsing. The floodgates were opened, therefore, as a result of which at 10 a.m. on 5 November a tidal wave turned the city into one big pool of mud. In the hours that followed, the water level continued to rise and the lower part of Florence was flooded to a depth of some 4 metres.
Destruction
35 Italians were killed. The mudflow cut off water and electricity supplies to many parts of the city, which meant that the residents were left without any clean drinking water. A large part of Florence, the age-old centre of culture and science, was destroyed.