Last week, Italy’s northeastern Emilia Romagna region was hit by extreme floods which killed 14 people and displaced over 36,000.

As clean-up efforts continue, local authorities and emergency services have set up channels to raise funds for those affected by the events.

READ ALSO: Italy unveils €2 billion package for flooded northeast

At the moment, the best way to support people in flooded areas is by making a donation directly to Emilia Romagna’s Civil Protection Agency. 

After many reached out “to lend a helping hand, and even make donations”, the region’s president Stefano Bonaccini announced last Thursday the creation of an ad hoc fundraising campaign for “people and communities hit by the flooding”.

🔴 In queste ore drammatiche in tanti ci avete scritto per poter dare una mano, anche per fare donazioni.

Per questo abbiamo aperto raccolta fondi a favore di persone e comunità colpite dall’alluvione. E come sempre rendiconteremo quanto raccolto e il suo utilizzo. pic.twitter.com/ttK5ddTVCF

— Stefano Bonaccini (@sbonaccini) May 18, 2023

The details (IBAN and BIC codes) of the bank account associated with the campaign are available here. 

All donors are advised to include “Alluvione Emilia-Romagna” (‘Emilia Romagna flooding’) as the reason for their donation. All funds and their use will be made public by regional authorities, the organisers say. 

READ ALSO: Over 23,000 people still without a home after northern Italy floods

Should you be looking to make donations to a specific area, some town halls have set up independent donation channels. 

To donate to the city of Faenza – which once again took the brunt of the flooding after it was one of the worst-affected areas in the early May floods – see the following web page. 

You can also donate to the city of Imola by following these online instructions and to the entire Modena province via the bank account available here.

Italy’s Red Cross (Croce Rossa), which was one of the first emergency services to offer assistance in the region, has also launched its own fundraising campaign. Donations can be made directly on the organisation’s website but are currently only available to people with an Italian codice fiscale (‘tax code’).

Specchio dei Tempi, a long-standing non-profit organisation founded by Italian newspaper La Stampa, also accepts online donations in support of the flood-hit areas. An Italian codice fiscale is not required in this case.

Besides monetary donations, there are other ways you can help if you live close to the flooded areas. 

If you’re looking to donate food, medicines or clothing, you can get in touch with Emilia Romagna’s Protezione Civile by calling 800 024662. The hotline is available every day from 8am to 8pm.

Finally, there are a number of social media accounts, including the following Facebook group, where people from flooded areas post requests for help of all sorts, from essential goods to temporary accommodation for their pets.