Lightning knocks out Ventimiglia rail control room and halts trains across Liguria

Lightning strikes knock out Ventimiglia control room

Severe thunderstorms ended the fourth summer heatwave of 2026 across Liguria on 20 August, bringing tens of thousands of electrical discharges and widespread transport disruption. At 12:45, a lightning bolt struck a utility pole adjacent to the Ventimiglia railway station, sending a power surge into the facility's control room. The resulting short circuit disabled computer systems responsible for safety and traffic management, forcing an immediate halt to all train traffic at the border hub. Emergency technical personnel from Rete Ferroviaria Italiana intervened to isolate the failure, permitting only one arriving passenger train to enter the platform before locking down the tracks. Trenitalia confirmed the suspension, citing critical weather conditions across the western Ligurian coast.

Morning disruptions on the Genoa-Rome corridor

The afternoon shutdown at the border followed multiple electrical failures earlier in the morning across the regional rail network. At 06:00, Frecciabianca train 8601, operating from Genoa to Rome, was struck by a lightning discharge while traveling through the Tigullio area between Sestri Levante and Riva Trigoso. The electrical malfunction forced the locomotive to make an unscheduled emergency stop at Riva Trigoso station, where railway staff transferred passengers onto another train to continue their journey. At 09:00, another lightning bolt struck a track switch at Genova Brignole station, suspending line movements between Brignole and Sturla for more than an hour. Network operator Rete Ferroviaria Italiana notified passengers of mounting delays across the regional and long-distance network.

Intercity and regional trains may record an increased travel time of up to 80 minutes.

Flooding and storm damage across Liguria

Regional meteorological services recorded over 37,000 lightning strikes across Liguria during the storm front, with 20,000 strikes concentrated over the provincial capital of Genoa. Heavy downpours caused localized flooding in urban centres and coastal towns throughout the morning and afternoon. In Genoa, rainwater accumulated in several street underpasses, causing travel delays in the Certosa district without requiring public safety evacuations. Further east in the Tigullio basin, torrential downpours struck the municipalities of Sestri Levante, Lavagna, and Chiavari. Fire crews deployed across the region to pump out inundated properties, clear drainage routes, and secure public roads under an orange hydrogeological weather alert issued for thunderstorms, hail, and waterspouts.

Rail route modifications and network recovery

The electrical shutdown at Ventimiglia forced railway operators to alter multiple long-distance and regional passenger routes connecting Liguria with Lombardy and Piedmont. Intercity 659 from Voghera to Ventimiglia terminated early at Taggia Arma, while Intercity 637 from Milano Centrale to Ventimiglia ended its journey at Genova Piazza Principe. Service for Intercity 635, scheduled to run from Ventimiglia to Milano Centrale, originated downstream at Taggia Arma and terminated in Genoa. Technicians worked through the afternoon to repair damaged electronics and restore computer dispatch consoles in the Ventimiglia control room. Rail circulation began a gradual recovery after 15:00, while station personnel assisted stranded passengers with alternative connections.