Tourists Shelter From Heavy Hail as Cloudburst Hits Florence

A sudden storm caused flash floods as heavy rain and hail poured down onto the Italian city of Florence on Friday afternoon, May 12, officials said.

Mayor of Florence Dario Nardella said the city was hit by a cloudburst.

The storm caused flooding in underpasses and prompted the temporary suspension of a light rail route, Nardella said.

Tuscany’s regional president, Eugenio Giani, said the storm dropped 40 mm (1.6 inches) of rain on the city and produced almost 700 lightning strikes in a single hour.

This footage was posted by Stephanie Condoleo, a Brazilian woman traveling in Italy, and shows people sheltering from hail in doorways and under umbrellas. Credit: Stephanie Condoleo via Storyful

Video Transcript

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