Severe hailstorm hits central Italy, prompting emergency declarations

A violent hailstorm struck central Italy in late July 2026, affecting the provinces of Teramo, Perugia and the Marche region. Winds gusted above 70 km/h, hailstones up to several centimetres in size fell, and heavy rain caused flooding, fallen trees and damage to infrastructure.

The storm injured no civilians, but caused extensive material loss. Local fire services carried out more than a thousand interventions, rescuing trapped motorists and clearing debris. Agricultural lands suffered severe damage, with vineyards, orchards and crops reported destroyed across Lombardy, Emilia‑Romagna and Abruzzo. Photovoltaic installations in the Marche region also sustained damage, with losses estimated at €80‑90 k.

Regional authorities have requested a formal state of calamity and allocated emergency funds. The Regione Abruzzo set up ad‑hoc financing, while the Bank of Piceno offered a €20 million credit line to support affected families and businesses. An online reporting platform has been launched to catalogue damages to enterprises, and insurers have flagged insured losses exceeding €700 million.