Brief communication: Hydrological and hydraulic investigation of the extreme September 2024 flood on the Lamone River in Emilia-Romagna, Italy

Abstract

In September 2024, several European countries experienced extreme and prolonged record-breaking rainfall that induced severe flooding and caused widespread damage, casualties, and disruptions. In this context, the Emilia-Romagna region in northern Italy suffered heavy precipitation primarily affecting the Lamone River basin, where a levee breach occurred near the village of Traversara, causing the flooding of urban settlements, vineyards, orchards, and crops. Since the same area was severely impacted by devastating floods no later than May 2023, it is relevant to understand whether this area indeed faced extreme precipitation events in 2 consecutive years and to explore how the hydrological–hydraulic modelling can support the preparedness against these recurring events.