Hundreds of schoolchildren, along with a mum and a 10-month-old baby who were standing on the roof of a car, had to be rescued from floodwaters in Italy
Parts of Italy have been hit by floods as torrential rain batters the country, leaving people trapped in cars.
Hundreds of schoolchildren, along with a mum and a 10-month-old baby who were standing on the roof of a car, had to be rescued from floodwaters after being left stranded by the fast moving water. Officials say more than 650 emergency incidents were recorded across Lombardy, with more than 200 firefighters involved.
In Milan, the Seveso River overflowed its banks, close to several schools as water raced through the neighbourhood. The nearby Lambro River also rose to dangerous levels, and saw mobile flood barriers quickly installed in a bid to see off the worst of the water.
Video footage shows rescue workers trying to walk in waist-deep water, with cars abandoned. Some vehicles can see water up to their doors, while others have only small parts of their roofs visible. Others were seen trying to clear drains as flood water continued to gush past them.
In Spigno Monferrato, a search operation was underway for a German tourist who disappeared during flash flooding. Authorities urged residents to avoid flood-prone areas, underpasses, and parks while emergency crews worked to restore safe conditions.
Italian meteorologists said conditions would be bad in the coming days, with thunderstorms forecast for central and northern Italy and temperatures expected to fall below seasonal averages later in the week.
Local officials warned that damages to homes, businesses, and infrastructure could be significant and said requests for state emergency recognition and compensation are being prepared.
Italy’s Civil Protection Department issued orange alerts for Lombardy, Veneto, and Lazio, warning of “hydrogeological and flood” risks. Yellow alerts also remain in place across large parts of Piedmont, Friuli Venezia Giulia, Tuscany, Umbria, Abruzzo, Molise, Campania, Sicily, and Sardinia.