The death toll is rising in the wake of heavy rains and floods that have hit the Emilia-Romagna region in northern Italy.
"The city is on its knees, it is devastated and in pain," said Mayor Gian Luca Zattini of the stricken city of Forli near Bologna.
Several of the dead have drowned in the floods, including a couple in their 70s who were found drowned in their home. One person has been found drowned in an underwater car.
According to the emergency services, the work is made more difficult by the fact that many roads are under water.
Moses barrier system enabled
Several cities in the region have been affected by the storm. In the coastal town of Riccione, rescue work is hampered by the flooding of several departments, including the emergency room.
In Venice in the adjacent region of Veneto, the barrier system "Moses" has been raised. It is the first time since construction began 20 years ago that the barrier has been lifted this early in the year.
The affected area was subjected to severe storms in early May and the ground was still soaked by the new downpours.
F1 race cancelled
Over the coming weekend, a Formula 1 World Championship round was to be held at the classic Imola circuit, which is located right next to the Santerno River where the water levels have risen. There is concern that the dams will burst and cause further flooding.
"It is a tragedy to witness what has happened in Imola and Emilia-Romagna." This decision is the right one for everyone in the local community and for the F1 family because we need to look at the security situation and not impose an additional burden on the authorities as they deal with this terrible situation," said F1 Chairman and CEO Stefano Domenicali.