Italy approves $2.2 billion relief package for flood-hit areas

Italy approved an emergency relief package worth more than 2 billion euros ($2.2 billion) to help flood-hit areas in the northern region of Emilia-Romagna, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said on Tuesday.

Almost a week on from the disaster, about 23,000 people are still homeless and some cities remain flooded, while thousands of acres of particularly fertile farmland have been wrecked.

Meloni, who visited affected areas on Sunday after returning a day early from a G7 summit in Japan, convened a cabinet meeting on Tuesday to approve the measures.

The package includes emergency-related spending and moratoriums on tax and social contributions for affected households and firms, Meloni said after the cabinet meeting. ($1 = 0.9084 euros)