Thousands evacuate in Bologna as heavy rain batters parts of Italy

Several thousand people have been forced to evacuate their homes due to heavy rain in northern Italy.

In Bologna and the surrounding areas, over 2,000 residents spent the night in emergency shelters or with family and friends. Several streets are submerged, and a 20-year-old man died in his car amid the floodwaters.

The Emilia-Romagna region, with Bologna as its capital, has been battered by storms that have caused damage estimated at several million euros.

Parts of southern Italy, including Calabria and Sicily, have also experienced flooding in city centres over the past few days.

In many areas, parked cars have been swept away, and videos have shown scooters being carried along through flooded streets. Meteorologists predict an easing of the situation in the coming days.