Severe weather alert issued for Italy's northern, central regions

ROME, Dec. 11 (Xinhua) -- The Italian Civil Protection agency has warned severe weather might cause disruption in some northern and central regions, starting from Monday.

A red alert for high hydro-geological risk -- indicating the maximum level of warning -- was issued for the coastal areas east of Genoa, in the northwest Liguria region, and for the central Tuscany region.

An orange level weather warning (moderate risk) was also issued for the inland areas of Liguria region, for other northern regions including Lombardy, and for central regions of Emilia Romagna, Umbria, Lazio, Abruzzo and Molise.

Extensive snowfall is forecast all across northern Italy during the week, due to a wave of freezing weather coming from the Atlantic Ocean, the Civil Protection agency said in its latest statement.

Such weather was likely to be followed by warm winds from northern Africa, which may trigger "an intense southern ventilation" with temperatures on the rise, the agency added.

On Monday, snowfall was registered in several areas of northern Italy, both in the west and east, and freezing rains hit the Piedmont and Liguria regions.

Local authorities ordered schools to remain closed in the eastern part of Liguria and in most of Tuscany, while cold temperatures caused moderate disruption to local railways and other transport routes.

Last winter, an exceptionally cold weather gripped many countries in Europe, and was blamed for the death of at least eight people in Italy. Enditem