- By Ajeet Kumar
- Mon, 24 Aug 2026 08:51 AM (IST)
- Source:JND
- 120 km/h winds hit Forli Airport, Italy.
- Four light aircraft overturned, causing significant damage.
- Airport temporarily closed; no injuries reported from storm.
Severe winds reaching approximately 120 km/h swept through Forli in Italy’s Emilia-Romagna region, overturning and pushing four light aircraft across the tarmac at the airport. Footage from the scene, featured in an Al Jazeera video report published on Sunday, captured the dramatic aftermath of the intense gusts that struck during a violent thunderstorm on the afternoon of 21 August.
The images showed ultralight and light aircraft displaced or flipped by the force of the wind, underscoring the raw power of the storm. The severe weather forced the temporary closure of Forli Airport for about an hour.
A storm knocked over four planes at Italy’s Forlì Airport
— Patrick (@quickndg) August 24, 2026
A powerful storm hit the airport. Three light aircraft were lifted off the runway and tossed around like toys. Another plane was blown off course while landing. pic.twitter.com/xN7X5dc0wQ
No injuries reported
Parts of a hangar wall were torn away, and a section of the arrivals terminal roof was damaged. Firefighters responded to secure the aircraft and assess the site. Local reports confirmed no injuries occurred amid the chaos. The airport, which handles a mix of civilian and limited commercial traffic, resumed operations once conditions improved.
This incident formed part of a broader outbreak of extreme weather across northern Italy. A quasi-linear convective system brought intense downbursts, with gusts measured near 120 km per hour at the airport and even higher, up to around 147 km/h, in nearby areas such as Reda. The storm triggered hundreds of emergency calls, felled numerous trees, flooded streets briefly, and caused agricultural losses in the Forli-Cesena and Ravenna provinces. Emergency services logged more than 150 interventions in the region.
Video goes viral
Videos of the aircraft being tossed as toys circulated widely, highlighting how even modestly sized planes remain vulnerable when high winds arrive with little warning. While authorities reported no casualties, the episode illustrates the increasing challenges posed by extreme weather events to aviation facilities and surrounding communities across northern Italy.