One Dead In Italy As Floods Hit Genoa

At least one person has died as floodwaters ravage buildings and streets and sweep away cars in Genoa in northwestern Italy.

Emergency services said they had found the body of a 57-year-old man who had apparently been swept away after the Bisagno river burst its banks after days of heavy rainfall.

Media reports said police divers recovered the body near where the river overflowed.

People tasked with removing rubble from the streets on Friday reported vehicles lying on top of each other and stuck in massive holes in the roads caused by the raging river waters.

Electricity was cut off, schools were forced to shut and a train had derailed due to the adverse conditions, according to Italian news reports.

The Italian Red Cross said two rivers had overflowed and that rescuers could not reach some neighbourhoods.

The floodwater reportedly left more than a metre (three feet) of mud in parts of city and surrounding areas and more rain is expected.

The latest flooding comes three years after a flood killed at least seven people in the port city.

Floods are not uncommon in the area largely due to Italy's mountainous and unstable geography as well as poor infrastructure.