Cars were swept away, and at least 100 people were evacuated as flash floods turned roads into rivers across some of Italy‘s most popular holiday destinations.
Torrential rainfall and powerful winds have battered Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Liguria and Tuscany, unleashing severe flooding, with all three regions being placed on red alert on Wednesday evening.
The downpour from Storm Charles has placed a further 22 regions in Italy on orange alert, while another 22 are on yellow.
In the Tuscan town of Massa, at least 100 people were evacuated last night after the Frigido River burst its banks, with several residents forced to sleep in the local sports hall overnight.
Meanwhile, flash floods in the village of Vezzano Ligure in Liguria swept cars away, with footage showing vehicles piling up as they were carried by currents.
A separate video taken from a lorry showed cars navigating roads that looked like rivers.
Footage in the city of La Spezia, in Liguria, showed water pouring into a bus as the vehicle tried to navigate a flooded road.
At least nine people were evacuated from the area due to a landslide, according to Italian news outlet Il Sole 24 Ore.
Meanwhile, flash floods in the village of Vezzano Ligure in Liguria swept cars away, with footage showing vehicles piling up as they were carried by currents
A car is partially submerged in water following flash floods in Italy
Footage showed water pouring into a passenger bus as a road flooded
A vehicle tries to navigate a flooded street
The Regional Civil Protection Department in Tuscany has urged residents to avoid unnecessary travel and to not attempt to cross flooded roads.
Trains in the region were facing severe disruptions on Thursday morning, with several rail services cancelled due to the fear of landslides.
The sea level in the floating city of Venice has already reached 110cm, with the average usually being around 30cm.
While most weather alerts were placed for areas in Northern Italy, southern regions like Calabria and Sicily were also placed on orange and yellow alerts, respectively.
The storm in Italy is expected to last until Friday, with the central and north-eastern regions of the country expected to feel the most severe impacts.
Storm Charles has been tearing through parts of Europe.
More than 200 flights out of Portugal were cancelled last night, while schools and hundreds of supermarkets and businesses were also forced to close.
Flooding was also reported in several areas, including road tunnels in Lisbon.
Video grab shows a flooded road in Versilia
An overflown river in the Italian province of Pistoia amid Storm Charles
Several rivers across Italy burst their banks, causing flooding
The national weather agency, IPMA, recorded wind gusts of over 75 mph in some areas.
On the Portuguese island of Madeira, off northwest Africa, gusts of 81mph were recorded.
Portugal’s sunny Algarve region was on red alert on Wednesday.
Storm Charles reached southwestern Spain on Wednesday, with the weather service AEMET warning of ‘serious or very serious’ impact from heavy rain, strong winds and rough seas that could exacerbate conditions caused by Storm Bruna, a separate storm that has pummelled the country since Sunday.
Storm Charles also caused major rockfall in the French Riviera, forcing road closures near the town of Menton. No casualties were reported.
Météo-France has issued yellow warnings for rain and flooding until 8 pm, thunderstorms from midday to 6 pm, and coastal flooding from 2 pm in southern France.
Drivers have also been advised to remain cautious, follow official diversion routes and check for updates before travelling.
