ARCUS Atlas record
Bridge over Rio Ara
Total collapse of a municipal bridge over the Rio Ara near Netro (Biella, Piemonte) on 5 June 2002, part of the major Valle Cervo flood event. Total collapse during the major flood event that struck the Valle Cervo and Biellese on 5 June 2002. The Cervo river and its tributaries (Rio Ara, Rio Borghesi, Rio Piaro) overflowed catastrophically, destroying multiple bridges on 5 June 2002. The 2002 alluvione is documented as one of the two major flood events in the Cervo valley's modern history alongside the devastating 1968 flood (58 deaths). No fatalities or injuries were reported from this specific collapse. ARPA Piemonte, Quaderno n.19 'Evento alluvionale del 4-6 giugno 2002 nel territorio biellese' (2004): la frazione Colla di Netro resto' a lungo isolata per la distruzione del ponte sul rio Ara ad opera della piena (foto nel rapporto); i danni in valle Elvo sono attribuiti a intensi processi di erosione e trasporto negli alvei, senza ulteriore dettaglio sul meccanismo del singolo manufatto. [Il database Polimi (D'Angelo et al. 2025, S3, record P101, dec=0.5) classifica invece il processo come: altro processo (es. colata detritica/frana).]
- ARCUS ID
- IT02.06.01
- Date
- 2002-06-05
- Municipality
- Netro
- Province
- Biella
- Region
- Piemonte
- Coordinates
- 45.5415, 7.9595 · exact location
- Crossing
- Rio Ara
- Use
- Municipal
- Severity
- TC
- Structural type
- Beam bridge
- Material
- Reinforced concrete
- Cause category
- Natural
- Specific cause
- Hydraulic
- Failure trigger
- Flood
- Failure process
- Overtopping / hydrodynamic action
- Component involved
- Entire structure
- Cause evidence
- Probable
- Source confidence
- High
- Victims
- 0
- Injuries
- 0
Documentary sources (3)
- Eventi alluvionali in Piemonte (Official/Technical · ARPA Piemonte · 2003-12-09)
- 5 giugno 2002 – violento nubifragio: Netro e Campiglia Cervo isolate per crollo ponti (News · BiellaClub · 2002-06-05)
- Bridge collapses in Italy across the 21st century: survey and statistical analysis (Scientific · Journal Paper · 2025-01-01)