At least three deadfour disappeared and nearly 5,000 people have had to be evacuated due to flooding due to heavy rains in recent hours that have seriously affected several towns in the region of Emilia Romagna, in the northeast of Italy. The torrential rains that hit a large part of Italy caused the overflow of up to 14 rivers and torrents as it passed through the cities of Cesena, Faenza and Riccione, which were completely flooded.

At the moment they are counted three deceased people: a man who lived on the ground floor of a house in Cesena invaded by water from the nearby Montone river and in Ronta di Cesena a 70-year-old man was also found dead in his house, while today the body of a man appeared in Cesenatico beach. While the wife of one of the deceased elderly was found alive, at least four other people are missing, according to the media.

The Minister of Civil Protection, Nello Musumeciexplained today that for the moment about 5,000 people have had to be evacuated and that there could be more during the day since the rains do not stop. Several sports centers have been prepared for the evacuees and today the evacuations of people who had to take refuge on the upper floors or on the roofs of the buildings will continue.

The schools and other activities remain closed, as well as regional rail traffic in the area is disrupted, Italian media reported. In total, 14 rivers have overflowed in the region and there are widespread flooding in 23 municipalities and the attention on the hydrogeological side of the Forlì-Cesena, Bolognese and Ravenna Apennines remains very high and there are reports of more than 250 ongoing instabilities, according to Civil Protection.