Four Dead As Flash Floods Hit Italian Festival

Four men have died at a festival in Italy after a thunderstorm caused flash floods.

Another 20 people were injured when around water around six feet high swept away festival goers.

About 100 people were enjoying an annual gathering by a stream near the northern town of Refrontolo when the violent downpours began.

Mirco Lorenzon, a local civil protection official, said: "Nobody had ever seen anything like it.

"There were two metres of water. People grabbed on to trees to save themselves."

The storm caused about 50 mudslides as well as damage to property, Mr Lorenzon added.

Several cars were also swept away.

Luca Zaia, governor of the Veneto region, said: "There was an hour-and-a-half of rain so heavy that you couldn't see anything.

"Within the hour, I will sign papers declaring a state of emergency for the area."

It is not the first time floods have led to fatalities in Italy over the past year. In November storms in Sardinia caused floods that killed 18 people.