Bad weather Catania, “water in the window and I in the car with my baby”

“So much, so scared. I was in the car with my one and a half year old sick daughter and my father, who is retired. Luckily, we were able to cross that river of water and get home safe and sound.” Francesca Marchese is still shaken, a freelance journalist of Sicilian origins who has been working in London for 8 years and is currently on vacation in Sicily. A misadventure that took place just a short distance from the place where the 53-year-old man overwhelmed by water died, near Gravina di Catania. “Yesterday morning we ventured by car, from Valverde to Gravina di Catania, with my father and my daughter only because the child had a fever and was very ill – says the journalist to Adnkronos – After leaving and I saw the rain I I’m sorry, I never imagined meeting that river of water “. But what happened yesterday morning? “Given the health conditions of my 21-month-old daughter – says Francesca, who also collaborates with the BBC – I decided to go to the doctor from Valverde, the town where I’m on vacation, in Gravina di Catania, where the doctor is. On the way out we used the motorway, because it is easier, and it rained little at that time. But while we were at the doctor the rain increased a lot, and when we went out we had to decide whether to wait for the rain to stop or to go home. since we knew that the rain would still last several hours, we decided to return to Valverde, but this time taking the state road and not the highway. But along the way we had to change route several times, there were several dips, we had to reverse several times. And after over half an hour of gymkhana among the Etnean roads we looked for the best route “. ‘When we reached San Giovanni La Punta we saw one meter of water arrive’ But in San Giovanni La Punta, Francesca Marchese, with her child and her father, found herself with the water “rising up to the window”. “We realized that we had to back down quickly and take another path because, despite our attentions, we found ourselves in a difficult situation with a little girl in the car – says the journalist – At one point there was more than one meter of water “. “There were moments of great fear, we drove very slowly but the wipers were unable to remove the water and there were other cars in those critical conditions”. Then she reiterates that she only left because “there was an emergency – she says – because my daughter was very ill and I had to have her examined by a doctor. Otherwise I would not have gone out”. “Tomorrow another wave of bad weather is expected and I, unless there is a red code emergency, will not go out.” Francesca also told her experience to the BBC for which she collaborates. “Those were really difficult moments …”, he concludes.