Badai Dahsyat Hit Roma, The Arch OfTEN Legacy Of Ancient Roman Damaged By Lightning

The Arch ofTherefore. (Wikimedia Commons/Jean-Pol GRANDMONT)

JAKARTA - The Arch ofTEN, a giant ancient Roman arch next to the Colosseum, was damaged after a devastating storm hit Rome, Italy, conservation authorities said on Tuesday.

In a statement to Reuters, the Archaeological Park Colosseum confirmed the monument was struck by lightning.

The curvature of victory was built in the 4th century AD to celebrate the victory of Konstantinus - the first Roman emperor to embrace Christianity - over his rival, Maxentius.

The building is about 25 meters (82 ft) high and is located in the same pedestrian area as the Colosseum, which is a major tourist spot.

"The steering wheel grabbed the arch here and grabbed the corner and we saw this flying," a tourist told Reuters, pointing to a large rock beam that fell to the ground.

Reuters video footage showed rock blocks and other debris lying around the monument, and archaeological park staff were working to collect them.

"All fragments have been found and secured. Assessment of the damage has begun and analysis will resume tomorrow morning," the archaeological park said.

The curvature was hit on the southern side, where the previously scheduled conservation work started two days ago and which will now also focus on repair of the damage, he added.

The accident occurred during a powerful thunderstorm that uprooted trees and branches and flooded several roads in the Italian capital.

The Civil Protection Agency said 60 millimeters (2.36 inches) of rainfall fell in the center of Rome in less than an hour, nearly as much as the rain that typically falls in a month during the fall.

The strange weather is called a "downburst", said Roma Mayor Roberto Gualtieri, referring to the type of severe storm, which features strong winds blowing downwards, which is believed to have also caused the sinking of British tech tycoon Mike Lynch's cruise ship off the coast of Sicily last month.

"The events that hit Rome are truly unprecedented, because they are so strong and concentrated in a very short time and in some areas of the city, starting from a historic center," Gualtieri said in a statement.