ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL DAMAGES

A first evaluation pointed out that the damaged neighbourhoods were more than 750 out of a regional total of 1209 and of them about 190 could be classified as seriously affected.

In Alessandria the plain water reached particularly high levels (in the Orti district water was 3.5 metres) and it flooded very large areas. The flood caused enormous damage in Alessandria; in fact about one-third of the town was flooded and serious consequences were caused to the infrastructures (sewerages, water-works, roads) and to public and private buildings (schools, hospitals, offices).

Artistic buildings were also struck: the ancient Santa Maria di Castello’s (church), the eighteenth century San Rocco’s, the cloister and the laboratory of the ancient convent of the Humiliated and the Cittadella. Industries were severely damaged with serious repercussions on the local economy: firms involved in the event in the Alessandria municipality were 2800 as well as farms.

The remaining areas involved in the flooding of the Tanaro, as well as the very serious damage to bridges, roads, railways, buildings and various economic activities, suffered serious losses regarding agriculture and cattle.
In fact the flood mainly involved large cultivated areas.

According to "Per un'economia all'attacco ed un territori più amico" Osservatorio del Lavoro, pag. 5,  so the principal economic damages on 24 communes were:

-    industrial activities, equal to 103 billion lire (53,200,000 euros)

-    commercial activities, equal to 211 billion lire (108,970,000 euros)

-    handicraft activities, equal to 88 billion lire (45,448,210 euros)

-    residual activities, equal to 118 billion lire (60,940,000 euros)

-    agricultural sector, equal to 80 billion lire (41,317,000 euros)

-    cattle, equal to 2,100 drowned animals

-    immovable properties of citizens, equal to 4,570 claims

-    movable properties of citizens, equal to 10,561 claims.

The analysis of the data, concerning the damage which occured in the province of Alessandria, points out that the damage suffered by firms was about 580 billion lire (299,550,000 euros) with a total of about 2,500 billion lire (1,291,140,000 euros).
The financial assistance from the State in favour of the damaged firms was about 30% of the reported damage.

In Alessandria there were also many victims: in the Orti district 10 people died and 2 in San Michele. Many wounded and missing people, evacuated families, hundreds of homeless people living by friends, relatives, acquaintances or charitable associations have to be included as well.