Officials said on Wednesday that severe rain in Italy's northern Emilia-Romagna region caused floods and landslides, killing at least eight people and evacuating hundreds.
According to Civil Protection Minister Nello Musumeci, some districts received half their annual rainfall in 36 hours, prompting rivers to breach their banks, sending water flowing through cities and drowning thousands of acres of farmland.
The Formula One Grand Prix in Imola, adjacent to several of the worst-affected districts, was cancelled this weekend to reduce pressure on emergency services and prevent motor racing enthusiasts from arriving in the devastated region.
"We are facing catastrophic events that have probably never been seen before," Emilia-Romagna area President Stefano Bonaccini told reporters. "Extraordinary amounts of rain have fallen on land that is no longer capable of absorbing them."
Local officials reported flooding in 37 towns and settlements and 120 landslides. At least one bridge near Bologna collapsed, other roads were damaged, and many rail services were halted.
Irene Priolo, the vice president of Emilia-Romagna, informed reporters that eight dead had been recovered from various sites and that while the rains had stopped, river levels were still rising.
Emilia-Romagna has been pummeled by terrible weather twice this month, with at least two people killed during storms at the beginning of May.
