Hailstorms and wildfires inflict >€100 million damage in IT

The July 2026 weather wave continued to devastate Italy. Hailstorms in the north and centre shattered melons, tomatoes, cereals and greenhouses, ripped photovoltaic panels from roofs, and heavily damaged vehicles and temporary housing. Coldiretti estimated agricultural losses in the hundreds of millions of euros, and municipalities such as Crema, San Benedetto del Tronto and Ferrara requested a state of emergency.

A severe hailstorm on 21–22 July swept central Italy, hitting Teramo (Abruzzo) and spreading to Marche, Lombardy and Emilia‑Romagna. Large hailstones, strong winds and heavy rain destroyed tomatoes, peppers, beans, zucchini, corn, sunflowers, vineyards and olive trees, and damaged greenhouses, farm buildings and agricultural machinery. Firefighters logged about 70 interventions in Teramo province alone, while in Ascoli Piceno (Marche) they recorded a record 38 rescues.

Farmers’ unions (Coldiretti, CNA) and the national car‑body‑shop association urged the declaration of a state of natural disaster, noting vehicle‑repair costs could reach €10 000 per car, with most owners lacking hail‑damage insurance. Municipalities in Teramo, Fano and Gambara launched online reporting forms to document losses and seek regional and national aid. Regional governments in Abruzzo, Lombardy, Emilia‑Romagna and Marche are discussing emergency or crisis declarations to mobilise funds for affected families and businesses.

The south endured a heatwave that sparked wildfires across Sardinia, Sicily, Puglia and Calabria, while a tornado‑like "tromba d'aria" struck the Salento coast, damaging seaside establishments. Together, hail, fire and wind events pushed total economic losses beyond €100 million, prompting extensive rescue operations and emergency assistance requests.