At least nine people have died in Italy's northern Emilia Romagna region as heavy rains flooded rivers and submerged entire neighbourhoods and farmland. Downpours that pounded the region's flatlands over two days have caused nearly two dozen rivers to burst their banks, putting vast stretches of territory under water and causing thousands of residents to be evacuated.

"We watched from the (second-floor) window as the water gradually rose," Cesena resident Davide Maeldolla told AFP, pausing from mucking out his inundated home, where the water had risen as high as 1.5 metres. "The helicopters circled all night to rescue people." In nearby Forli, southeast of the regional capital Bologna, Mayor Gian Luca Zattini said his city was "on its knees, devastated and in pain."