After some days of intense and continuous rain, in the dawn of 4th of November the Arno river breaks embankments of Florence: river floods the roads and the water comes up till the first floor of the houses. The nameplate, situated on dei Neri Street, signes the highest point that have been reached by the inundation of the flood: 4 meters and 92 centimetres. All museums, churches, places of art are inundated: water floods Duomo while the furious river demolishes stores of goldsmiths on the Ponte Vecchio and provokes serious damages also on Corridoio Vasariano.
Water and mud seriously damage Crucifix of Cimabue of the Santa Croce Basilica that became the symbol of the tragedy that hit not just the population but also the art and the history. Two days later the water has been withdrawn, Florence is buried and soiled of mud, naphtha, the mountains of waste and household goods. Dozens of people die, inhabitants don’t have water, victuals and electric energy.
But, in the consternation of enormous disaster, rise immediate and pressing spirit of solidarity which involves not just Florentines but also voluntaries coming from every parts of Italy and all the world: everybody with extraordinary spirit of sacrifice starts to shovel away the mud and distributes victuals. Thousands of young people dedicate their time to recover from the mud paintings, books and works of art. Thanks to them artistic heritage of Florence, seriously damaged by destruction flood, is saved.
Because of their affecting dedication and solidarity they were named “Gli Angeli del Fango” (Angels of the Mud). Tuscany Region, Regional Council, Authority of the Arno Basin, Provinces of Tuscany, Commune of Florence and all local institutions in collaboration with Legambiente and Arno Association and together with the whole associative, cultural world and tuscanian voluntaries are launching an appeal to organize “International Meeting of thousands of person which came to save flooded Tuscany”.