"A violent and intense torrential rain, the likes of which have not been seen in Valle d'Aosta and Piedmont in over 20 years. Landslides, overflowing streams, Cervinia in mud, and Cogne cut off, evacuating hundreds of citizens and rescuing an equal number. Temperatures at high altitudes have been steadily rising between 1981 and 2023. The damage to the two Italian regions remains incalculable, while seven new victims of extreme weather events have been reported in Switzerland and France". This is stated in a note from the WWF, which emphasizes that "Landslides and floods are now tragically protagonists of our territories, and for the WWF it is increasingly evident that we live in a new 'State of permanent climate calamity', where the climate crisis constitutes the greatest threat to citizens' safety, with record temperatures and extreme heat alternating with violent rainfall and devastating floods. This, then, impacts fragile areas lacking serious risk assessment and prevention". And it goes on to say, "What happened in Cogne is caused by climate change, which has multiplied extreme events that were once very rare, making them almost daily, but also highlights all of our country's delays in dealing with, predicting, and mitigating it. Local governments have preferred speculative projects related to the push for mass tourism over projects aimed at protecting the territory and mitigation. And, as a result, parking lots and camper areas have emerged in close proximity to the streams, which are currently submerged. The 200 evacuees included boys and girls from WWF Travel's 'Into the Wild' tent trekking camp and the Indaco cooperative. Given the situation, the Valnontey campsite was abandoned in time, and the minors were among the first to be transferred to Aosta via helicopter".
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