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Footage from Faenza in the province of Emilia-Romagna. The Italian Coast Guard rescues residents from their roofs with helicopters, the houses are flooded.
Extremely heavy rainfall in northern Italy killed at least six people and forced 5,000 to be evacuated, as here in Forlì. The Savio River burst its banks. Basements and shops were flooded, rail connections failed. Roads were closed and the Imola Formula 1 race was cancelled. 50,000 people are without electricity, more than 100,000 without a telephone connection. The rescue measures are proving difficult, as many roads and paths are still flooded. Some areas would have received half of the average annual rainfall in just 36 hours. The cities of Bologna and Ravenna are also severely affected.
Fearing further flooding, authorities warned residents to move to higher areas or the upper floors of their homes and avoid riverbanks. The Italian Minister of Civil Protection Nello Museumeci advised to remain vigilant.
Two weeks ago, two people were killed in floods in the region. Previously, there was a months-long drought here. As a result, the ground was so dry that the rain could not seep away. Thousands of hectares of farmland were flooded.
Floods, landslides and evacuations were also reported in Croatia, Bosnia and Slovenia. In Italy, the rains are subsiding, according to the vice president of the Emilia-Romagna region. However, the levels of the rivers continue to rise.