ROME — Italian State Railways have met the emergency needs of 2,500 pilgrims who were stranded for two days on five Unitalsi (Italian National Union for Transporting the Sick to Lourdes and International Shrines) trains in France, due to the heavy downpour in recent days. 

  Over 3,500 first aid kits, more than two thousand litres of water, 100 kilograms of pasta, 90 containers of tomato paste, 10 litres of oil and 55 kilograms of ham, milk, cheese, sliced bread and snacks have been dispatched. 

  The convoys that TrenItalia had allocated to the transport of pilgrims are all equipped with kitchens, which has allowed Unitalsi volunteers to prepare hot meals, especially for the benefit of the many returning from Lourdes. 

  The commitment of the Italian FS Group has been recognised by Unitalsi. The president, Salvatore Pagliuca, has said that “all Unitalsi trains, which were stranded in the floods in the south of France, have arrived or are arriving at their destination stations. Thanks go to the Civil Defence, Red Cross, Unicef, but most of all to Italian FS for the support provided.” He also noted that “the synergy between TrenItalia, RFI Sala Blu and Protezione Aziendale has meant that volunteers, patients, priests and pilgrims have survived this emergency calmly and without excessive inconvenience.”