The 2011 floods in Europe, were caused by a series of storms in the fall, including
Cyclone
In meteorology, a cyclone () is a large air mass that rotates around a strong center of low atmospheric pressure, counterclockwise in the Northern Hemisphere and clockwise in the Southern Hemisphere as viewed from above (opposite to an ant ...
Meeno
and
Tropical Storm Rolf.
The floods occurred in late October–early November in Spain, France, Italy, and Ireland. In Italy, the River
Po rose in
Turin
Turin ( , ; ; , then ) is a city and an important business and cultural centre in northern Italy. It is the capital city of Piedmont and of the Metropolitan City of Turin, and was the first Italian capital from 1861 to 1865. The city is main ...
and a number of people (including two children) died in
Genoa
Genoa ( ; ; ) is a city in and the capital of the Italian region of Liguria, and the sixth-largest city in Italy. As of 2025, 563,947 people live within the city's administrative limits. While its metropolitan city has 818,651 inhabitan ...
.
A
state of emergency
A state of emergency is a situation in which a government is empowered to put through policies that it would normally not be permitted to do, for the safety and protection of its citizens. A government can declare such a state before, during, o ...
in the Italian regions of
Liguria
Liguria (; ; , ) is a Regions of Italy, region of north-western Italy; its Capital city, capital is Genoa. Its territory is crossed by the Alps and the Apennine Mountains, Apennines Mountain chain, mountain range and is roughly coextensive with ...
and
Tuscany
Tuscany ( ; ) is a Regions of Italy, region in central Italy with an area of about and a population of 3,660,834 inhabitants as of 2025. The capital city is Florence.
Tuscany is known for its landscapes, history, artistic legacy, and its in ...
was declared after floods killed 10 people on 27 October, causing
mudslide
A mudflow, also known as mudslide or mud flow, is a form of mass wasting involving fast-moving flow of debris and dirt that has become liquified by the addition of water. Such flows can move at speeds ranging from 3 meters/minute to 5 meters/ ...
s.
In Ireland, a state of emergency was declared in
Dublin
Dublin is the capital and largest city of Republic of Ireland, Ireland. Situated on Dublin Bay at the mouth of the River Liffey, it is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinster, and is bordered on the south by the Dublin Mountains, pa ...
three days before.
[
]
Ireland
Thousands of homes and businesses were destroyed during sudden flash floods around the country.[ ]Dublin City Council
Dublin City Council () is the Local government in the Republic of Ireland, local authority of the city of Dublin in Republic of Ireland, Ireland. As a city council, it is governed by the Local Government Act 2001. Until 2001, the authority was k ...
declared a major emergency. Dundrum Town Centre
Dundrum Town Centre is a shopping mall, shopping centre located in Dundrum, Dublin, Dundrum, Dublin, Republic of Ireland, Ireland. It is one of Ireland's two largest shopping centres with over 131 shops, 47 restaurants, 3 amusement facilities ...
in Dublin, one of Europe's biggest shopping centres, was evacuated shortly before 8 pm on 24 October 2011 after floodwaters surged through the doors, destroying most stores. The owner of a Mexican restaurant in the complex said five-feet of water had rushed down steps towards his business, causing thousands of euro worth of damage. Roads around County Dublin
County Dublin ( or ) is a Counties of Ireland, county in Republic of Ireland, Ireland, and holds its capital city, Dublin. It is located on the island's east coast, within the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinster. Until 1994, County Dubli ...
and County Wicklow
County Wicklow ( ; ) is a Counties of Ireland, county in Republic of Ireland, Ireland. The last of the traditional 32 counties, having been formed as late as 1606 in Ireland, 1606, it is part of the Eastern and Midland Region and the Provinces ...
remained shut the following day.
Two deaths were reported in the country during October. Cecilia De Jesus, a 58-year-old Filipino care worker who had recently become an Irish citizen, drowned in her basement flat on Parnell Road, Harold's Cross
Harold's Cross () is an affluent urban village and inner suburb on the south side of Dublin, Republic of Ireland, Ireland in the postal district List of Dublin postal districts, D6W. The River Poddle runs through it, though largely in an underg ...
, Dublin. She had only recently moved into the flat. Her body was discovered after emergency services pumped the water out. The other death was Ciaran Jones, a member of the Garda Síochána
(; meaning "the Guardian(s) of the Peace") is the national police and security service of Republic of Ireland, Ireland. It is more commonly referred to as the Gardaí (; "Guardians") or "the Guards". The service is headed by the Garda Commissio ...
who was swept into the River Liffey
The River Liffey (Irish language, Irish: ''An Life'', historically ''An Ruirthe(a)ch'') is a river in eastern Ireland that ultimately flows through the centre of Dublin to its mouth within Dublin Bay. Its major Tributary, tributaries include t ...
at Ballysmuttan Bridge in Manor Kilbride, County Wicklow. Taoiseach
The Taoiseach (, ) is the head of government or prime minister of Republic of Ireland, Ireland. The office is appointed by the President of Ireland upon nomination by Dáil Éireann (the lower house of the Oireachtas, Ireland's national legisl ...
Enda Kenny
Enda Kenny (born 24 April 1951) is an Irish former Fine Gael politician who served as Taoiseach from 2011 to 2017, Leader of Fine Gael from 2002 to 2017, Minister for Defence (Ireland), Minister for Defence from May to July 2014 and 2016 to 201 ...
and Tánaiste
The Tánaiste ( , ) is the second-ranking member of the government of Ireland and the holder of its second-most senior office. It is the equivalent of the deputy prime minister in other parliamentary systems.
The Tánaiste is appointed by the P ...
Eamon Gilmore
Eamon Gilmore (born 24 April 1955) is an Irish diplomat and former Labour Party politician. He has served as European Union Special Representative for Human Rights since February 2019. He has also been the European Union Special Envoy for th ...
paid tribute to the dead.
Monaghan
Monaghan ( ; ) is the county town of County Monaghan, Republic of Ireland, Ireland. It also provides the name of its Civil parishes in Ireland, civil parish and Monaghan (barony), Monaghan barony.
The population of the town as of the 2022 cen ...
town centre was reported to be "impassable". Houses in Ballybay
Ballybay () is a town and civil parish in County Monaghan, Ireland. The town is centred on the crossroads of the R183 and R162 roads.
Geography
The town is the meeting point for roads going to Monaghan, Castleblayney, Carrickmacross and ...
, County Monaghan
County Monaghan ( ; ) is a Counties of Ireland, county in Ireland. It is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Ulster and is part of Border Region, Border strategic planning area of the Northern and Western Region. It is named after the town ...
, were evacuated due to a collapse.[
Roads in counties ]Carlow
Carlow ( ; ) is the county town of County Carlow, in the south-east of Republic of Ireland, Ireland, from Dublin. At the 2022 census of Ireland, 2022 census, it had a population of 27,351, the List of urban areas in the Republic of Ireland, ...
, Cavan
Cavan ( ; ) is the county town of County Cavan in Republic of Ireland, Ireland. The town lies in Ulster, near the border with County Fermanagh in Northern Ireland. The town is bypassed by the main N3 road (Ireland), N3 road that links Dublin ( ...
, Louth Louth may refer to:
Australia
*Hundred of Louth, a cadastral unit in South Australia
* Louth, New South Wales, a town
* Louth Bay, a bay in South Australia
** Louth Bay, South Australia, a town and locality
Canada
* Louth, Ontario
Ireland
* Cou ...
and Kilkenny
Kilkenny ( , meaning 'church of Cainnech of Aghaboe, Cainnech'). is a city in County Kilkenny, Republic of Ireland, Ireland. It is located in the South-East Region, Ireland, South-East Region and in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinst ...
were impassable. The Sally Gap
Sally or Sallie may refer to:
People and characters
Persons
* Sally (name), a female given name, and list of notable people with the name; a diminutive of Sarah.
* , French influencer and activist
* Axis Sally, the name given to female radio pr ...
and the Wicklow Gap were badly hit. The Slea Head
Slea Head (Irish language, Irish: ''Ceann Sléibhe'') is a headland, promontory on the westernmost part of the Dingle Peninsula, in southwest County Kerry, Ireland. It can be reached by the R559 road (Ireland), R559 road, with the nearest vil ...
Road in County Kerry
County Kerry () is a Counties of Ireland, county on the southwest coast of Republic of Ireland, Ireland, within the Provinces of Ireland, province of Munster and the Southern Region, Ireland, Southern Region. It is bordered by two other countie ...
was shut down after it flooded.[ Motorists abandoned their vehicles and fled from the floods.][
In Northern Ireland, 18 people, including two children, were rescued by boat in ]Beragh
Beragh (from Irish: ''Bearach'', meaning "place of points/hills/standing stones") is a village and townland in County Tyrone, Northern Ireland. It is about southeast of Omagh and is in the Fermanagh and Omagh District Council area. The 2001 ...
, County Tyrone
County Tyrone (; ) is one of the six counties of Northern Ireland, one of the nine counties of Ulster and one of the thirty-two traditional counties of Ireland. Its county town is Omagh.
Adjoined to the south-west shore of Lough Neagh, the cou ...
, with a new £1 million GAA
Gaa may refer to:
* Gaa language, a language of Nigeria
* gaa, the ISO 639 code for the Ga language of Ghana
GAA may stand for:
Compounds
* Glacial (water-free), acetic acid
* Acid alpha-glucosidase, also known as glucosidase, alpha; acid, an e ...
centre sustaining damage. Newry
Newry (; ) is a City status in Ireland, city in Northern Ireland, standing on the Newry River, Clanrye river in counties County Down, Down and County Armagh, Armagh. It is near Republic of Ireland–United Kingdom border, the border with the ...
, Omagh
Omagh (; from , meaning 'the virgin plain') is the county town of County Tyrone, Northern Ireland. It is situated where the rivers River Drumragh, Drumragh and Camowen River, Camowen meet to form the River Strule, Strule. Northern Ireland's c ...
and Strabane
Strabane (; ) is a town in County Tyrone, Northern Ireland.
Strabane had a population of 13,507 at the 2021 United Kingdom census, 2021 census. This article contains quotations from this source, which is available under th Open Government Li ...
were also badly hit.
According to Met Éireann
Met Éireann (; meaning "Meteorology, Met of Ireland") is the state meteorology, meteorological service of Republic of Ireland, Ireland, part of the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage.
History
The history of modern meteorolog ...
, a rainfall of up to , equal to an average month's norm, fell across the Dublin area within three hours. There was record rainfall at Casement Aerodrome
Casement Aerodrome () or Baldonnel Aerodrome is a military airbase to the southwest of Dublin, Republic of Ireland, Ireland situated off the N7 road (Ireland), N7 main roads in Ireland, road route to the south and south west. It is the headquar ...
.
Italy
The city of Genoa
Genoa ( ; ; ) is a city in and the capital of the Italian region of Liguria, and the sixth-largest city in Italy. As of 2025, 563,947 people live within the city's administrative limits. While its metropolitan city has 818,651 inhabitan ...
sustained flash flood
A flash flood is a rapid flooding of low-lying areas: washes, rivers, dry lakes and depressions. It may be caused by heavy rain associated with a severe thunderstorm, hurricane, or tropical storm, or by meltwater from ice and snow. Flash f ...
s that erupted when 356 millimetres of rain fell in six hours on 4 November. About six people died. The receding waters in that city revealed heaps of overturned cars, furniture and mud dispersed across the streets. Several people were reported missing in the city. According to Genoa mayor Marta Vicenzi, the floods constituted "a completely unexpected tragedy". Near Pozzuoli
Pozzuoli (; ; ) is a city and (municipality) of the Metropolitan City of Naples, in the Italian region of Campania. It is the main city of the Phlegrean Peninsula.
History
Antiquity
Pozzuoli began as the Greek colony of ''Dicaearchia ...
, a tree fell on a car, killing the driver. A bridge across the Pellice stream in the countryside collapsed due to rushing waters with no reported injuries. Flooding also occurred in Venice
Venice ( ; ; , formerly ) is a city in northeastern Italy and the capital of the Veneto Regions of Italy, region. It is built on a group of 118 islands that are separated by expanses of open water and by canals; portions of the city are li ...
. The muddy water reached Cinque Terre
The Cinque Terre (; ; meaning 'Five Lands') is a coastal area within Liguria, in the northwest of Italy. It lies in the west of La Spezia Province, and comprises five villages: Monterosso al Mare, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola and Riomaggio ...
, while the ports of Vernazza
Vernazza (, locally ; ) is a town and located in the province of La Spezia, Liguria, northwestern Italy. It is one of the five towns that make up the Cinque Terre region. Vernazza is the fourth town heading north, has no car traffic, and remai ...
and Monterosso were swamped by hundreds of tonnes of debris and mud.
The Serie A
The Serie A (), officially known as Serie A Enilive in Italy and Serie A Made in Italy abroad for sponsorship reasons, is a professional association football league in Italy and the highest tier of the Italian football league system. Establish ...
matches between Napoli
Naples ( ; ; ) is the regional capital of Campania and the third-largest city of Italy, after Rome and Milan, with a population of 908,082 within the city's administrative limits as of 2025, while its province-level municipality is the thir ...
and Juventus
Juventus Football Club (; from , ), commonly known as Juventus or colloquially as Juve (), is an Italian professional Association football, football List of football clubs in Italy, club based in Turin, Piedmont, who compete in Serie A, the ...
, as well as between Genoa
Genoa ( ; ; ) is a city in and the capital of the Italian region of Liguria, and the sixth-largest city in Italy. As of 2025, 563,947 people live within the city's administrative limits. While its metropolitan city has 818,651 inhabitan ...
and Inter Milan
Football Club Internazionale Milano, commonly referred to as Internazionale () or simply Inter, and colloquially known as Inter Milan in English-speaking countries, is an Italian professional Association football, football List of football ...
, were postponed. An investigation was opened in the country into whether floods were the fault of official negligence and illegal building
Illegal construction (also known as illegal building or illegal housing) is construction work (or the result of such) without a valid construction permit. Besides the potential technical hazards on uncontrolled construction sites and in finishe ...
.
France
Five people have been confirmed dead and one person was swept away in the river Var. About 750 people were evacuated from flooded areas in Fréjus
Fréjus (; ) is a Communes of France, commune in the Var (department), Var Departments of France, department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur Regions of France, region in Southeastern France.
It neighbours Saint-Raphaël, Var, Saint-Raphaël ...
, Roquebrune and Tourves
Tourves (; ) is a commune in the Var department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region in southeastern France.
Population
Twin towns — sister cities
Tourves is twinned with:
* Perinaldo, Italy (1993)
See also
*Communes of the Var de ...
. The preliminary damage from floods in the south of France throughout one week has been estimated at between €550 million and €800 million. About 7,500 homes in the departments
Department may refer to:
* Departmentalization, division of a larger organization into parts with specific responsibility
Government and military
* Department (administrative division), a geographical and administrative division within a country, ...
of Var and Alpes-Maritimes
Alpes-Maritimes (; ; ; ) is a Departments of France, department of France located in the country's southeast corner, on the France–Italy border, Italian border and Mediterranean Sea, Mediterranean coast. Part of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'A ...
lost internet or phone service on 6–7 November.
File:Heiligenhäuschen, Hl. Apollonia, bei Sieghochwasser.jpg, The Sieg
Sieg may refer to:
People
* Carl Sieg (1784–1845), German painter and lithographer
* Victor Sieg (1837–1899), French composer and organist
* Lee Paul Sieg (1879–1963), a former president of the University of Washington
* Paul Eugen Si ...
in , January 2011
File:Monterosso al Mare-danni alluvione 2011-Flickr1.jpg, Flooding of Monterosso al Mare
Monterosso al Mare () is a town and ''comune'' in the province of La Spezia, part of the region of Liguria, Northern Italy. It is one of the five villages in Cinque Terre.
Overview
Twinned to Saint-Genès-Champanelle, France, Monterosso al Mare ...
, October 2011
File:2011 azaroa hernani uholdeak 001.jpg, Flood in Hernani, Gipuzkoa
Hernani is a town and municipality located in the province of Gipuzkoa, Basque Autonomous Community, Spain. The town sits on the left bank of the Urumea river. It is located at a distance of 9.2 km from San Sebastián. The municipality of Her ...
, November 2011
References
External links
Floods in France and Italy in pictures
{{European floods
2010s floods in Europe
2011 floods
European floods
European floods
European floods
European windstorms
October 2011 in Europe
November 2011 in Europe