Brescia Storms Cause Vineyard and Property Damage Ahead of Severe Weather

Seven hectares of vineyards partially damaged by hail, cellars and garages flooded, cornices, roofs, and gutter channels torn off by the wind, shutters, car and boat bodies damaged by hailstones as large as hazelnuts. And according to experts, the worst is still to come.

The damage caused by the bad weather in the province is being monitored closely with weather bulletins. The violent thunderstorms that struck much of the province the day before yesterday are believed to be just the forefront of a weather front, fueled by a flow of unstable air, which is expected to hit Brescia in these hours.

Instead of the traditional shooting stars of San Lorenzo, hailstones might fall. These are the same that on Thursday afternoon bombarded Garda and Valvestino, damaging vineyards as well as boats and cars of tourists.

Damage and repercussions

The map of damage also includes the municipalities of Western Bassa, while the rest of the plains and valleys were spared from the storm as well as from the temperature drop associated with the precipitation. Despite the intensity of the thunderstorms, the list of damages is limited—with the only exception of Moniga, where initial estimates suggest a disaster worth 14 billion euros—and generally spread across a large area of territory.

The greatest damage, though not surprising, has been suffered by agriculture, especially vineyards. Fortunately, the percentage of crop loss is minimal according to the initial assessments made by provincial officials who carried out inspections.

“No reports of particularly serious situations have been received,” confirms Giampaolo Mantelli, Agriculture Councillor of the Broletto. The epicenter of the storm that battered Lake Garda is the coastal strip between Padenghe and Salò.

The largest damage occurred in terraces of millesimated vineyards stretching from Chizzoline and Soiano down to Moniga, the most affected municipality. Approximate calculations estimate a total destruction of about 40 quintals of premium grapes.

Most of these are small private vineyards intended for local wine production. Other partially affected vineyards have been reported in Pratello, Picedo, Soiano, Muscoline, and Polpenazze.

In Solarolo, hail destroyed a greenhouse used for floriculture, also damaging the lighting system. Nearby, in Montinelle, an apiarist’s activity was wiped out: 12 beehives were destroyed and the bees scattered or died, with an estimated loss exceeding 30 million euros.

Agriculture was slightly affected, as were residences. In Toscolano, the fall of a 15-meter-high cypress tree at Villa Adele damaged a railing.

Along the shoreline from Moniga to Gardone Riviera, about twenty boats were seriously dented by hail. A cabin cruiser moored in Manerba partially sank due to a bow opening: it remains unclear whether the vessel, pushed by the wind, hit another boat or a rock, or if the issue is unrelated to the storm.

Early yesterday morning, the boat was recovered and towed to a workshop for repairs. It is impossible to estimate the number of car body shops or windshields damaged by hailstones, which reached a diameter of 4 centimeters.

In a single parking lot of a camping site in Padenghe, 50 cars were damaged. In Puegnago, the wind dislodged some tiles from a Raffa residence and caused damage to a couple of gutter channels on via Panoramica. In this case, the Fire Department intervened briefly to secure a cornicione.

Problems were also reported in San Felice, with broken windows and damaged frames caused by the storm, especially near the port and in via Zublino. Landslides were reported: mud and debris of various sizes fell in Barbarano di Salò, Gaino, Oldesio, Pieve, and Limone. In Limone, water mixed with earth invaded a couple of hotel basements, and small debris fell on the Gardesana road, raising fears of a landslide.

Fire Department inspections in Pieve, Oldesio, and Muslone confirmed that there are no imminent dangers. Moving westward, Mazzano reported damage from the storm.

In addition to a fallen tree that destroyed a garage in Ciliverghe, the municipality has 15 buildings—including houses and artisan workshops—damaged, with gutters and roofs affected.

Minor flooding and damage were reported in Rezzato, Nuvolento, Nuvolera, and Bedizzole. The hailstorm was patchy and affected some towns on the border with Bergamo province: however, damages, which are limited, seem to be confined to private structures in Castrezzato, Castelcovati, and Rudiano.

The weather alert issued by the Regione Lombardia will be in effect only until tonight.