Spuort of the Flood

On September 28, 1798, the town of San Donato was split in two by a terrible flood that destroyed numerous houses and the Church of the Annunziata. Abbot Carlo Coletta (1728-1813), a witness to the events, described the incident in the Book of the Dead as follows:

"To us who are in this valley of tears, and who scroll through this inauspicious century, it falls to us to leave a memory of God's chastisements. Despite so many chastisements from Heaven, after the drought of three months it finally rained for three days, and on the night of September 28 it made so much water, that it seemed like a deluge, with lightning and thunder, that it seemed the day of judgment and produced such a great flood, that it ruined the country. The height of the water that passed inside the land as it is now seen, was 16 palms and its width 168 palms. The families that were left without houses were 24; the number of members of houses that fell were one hundred and twelve, including in them the church of the Annunziata, full said of grains and other belongings, linens, utensils, cellar money and others, without being able to save anything. The other floods in all parts have ruined olive groves, territorial churches, vineyards. The vegetable gardens will remain uncultivated for more years because of the great quantity of stones, raves and boulders, which they brought, as will also be seen by posterity."

The alley was restored in 2002 by the Pro Loco, thanks to the generosity of Pasquale Cocuzzo and his family. The painting is by Luciano Tocci, while the wrought-iron lantern was made by Cesidio and Mauro Cautilli. This place of memory is an important tribute to the history of San Donato Val di Comino and a tourist attraction worth visiting.