Rescues continue in flood-hit central Italy

Operations continued on Monday in flood-hit areas of central Italy as heavy rain caused havoc, sparking landslides and avalanche alerts.

For the past 48 hours, firefighters have been conducting rescue operations in the Veneto, Friuli Venezia Giulia, Emilia-Romagna, Piedmont, Lombardy and Tuscany regions.

Overnight on Sunday and Monday, 160 firefighters conducted 175 rescues with amphibious vehicles to assist the population of Nonantola, Fossalta and Campo Galliano in the Emilia-Romagna region which was hit by the flooding of the Panaro river.

In Nonantola, a road collapsed under severe pressure due to the flooding of the Panaro river.

According to the Italian news agency ANSA, this part of Italy has not had so much rain in a 48-hour-period in 30 years.

The rain is expected to continue through Wednesday.