9 Die as Rains Ravage Much of Europe
Heavy rains triggered floods and landslides in northern Italy, France, Belgium, Switzerland and Austria, leaving nine people dead and at least four missing, officials said Tuesday.
Meteorologists said a collision of Arctic and African air currents created the storms.
Franca Chlistovky of the Milan weather office said that up to 7.8 inches of rain fell in 24 hours in northern Italy. Since the Italian weather service began keeping records in 1805, the highest 24-hour precipitation for the area had been 6 inches in 1955.
In Paris, a 24-hour record rainfall of 3.8 inches flooded basements and snarled traffic.
Flash floods and landslides blocked roads and railway lines in many areas of Western Europe. Many mountain resorts were isolated, and several Alpine passes were closed.
Temperatures dropped to autumn-like levels after the storms. It was 57 degrees in Paris and 59 in London.
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