Italy floods 'like new earthquake' as death toll reaches 13

President compares devastation caused by 36-hour deluge to disaster of 2012

Firefighters rescue an elderly man in the flooded village of Castel Bolognese, Italy. AP

Rescuers are continuing their search for survivors in northern Italy as deaths caused by flooding due to heavy rain rose to 13.

Two dozen rivers and tributaries burst their banks following the 36-hour deluge, which came after a prolonged drought.

Torrents of mud and water tore through towns in the Emilia-Romagna region, causing up to 300 landslides, damaging 400 roads and wrecking countless homes, businesses and farms.

It was the second time this month that Emilia-Romagna has been battered by bad weather.

Heavy rains followed months of drought which had dried out the land, reducing its capacity to absorb water, meteorologists said.

“We are facing a new earthquake,” said Emilia-Romagna president Stefano Bonaccini, recalling the tremors that struck the region in 2012, destroying thousands of homes.

Noting that since then “almost everything” had been rebuilt, Mr Bonaccini said: “That experience showed us that it can be done, and we will rebuild everything (again), I am sure of that.”

The death toll rose to 13 on Thursday after four more bodies were found, including those of an elderly couple, aged 73 and 71, who were found dead together in their home in the small town of Russi, local authorities said.

Local mayors warned that some remote villages were still completely cut off because landslides had made roads impassable and phone service remained severed. That has prevented rescue teams from reaching residents and authorities from understanding the full scope of their needs, said Mercato Seraceno's Mayor Monica Rossi.

“If it rains any more, the situation will be tragic,” Ms Rossi warned on Sky TG24, standing on a road damaged by a landslide.

According to the Coldiretti agricultural association, more than 5,000 farms were left underwater in the region, which includes fruit farms as well as corn and grain fields.

“We had already estimated almost 1 billion euros of damage [from the first floods], so imagine how much the figure will rise,” said regional president Stefano Bonaccini.

The floods are the latest in a series of extreme weather events in Italy over the past year, as once exceptional disasters become a regular part of life.

The government has promised an extra 20 million euros ($22 million) in emergency aid, on top of the 10 million euros allocated in response to previous floods two weeks ago, which killed at least two people.

Luxury sports car maker Ferrari, which is based in Emilia-Romagna, announced a donation of a million euros.

One of the flood victims was swept away from her home and washed up on a beach 20km away.

More than 10,000 people fled their homes, some plucked from rooftops or balconies by rescue helicopters and others ferried out on dinghies.

One family with a 20-day-old baby was rescued on Thursday morning, said Cesena's Mayor Enzo Lattuca. Another family packed their belongings into an inflatable pool which they floated down the thigh-high river of mud that was previously a street.

But residents in other towns, such as Castel Bolognese, started cleaning up as the waters receded, with residents shovelling out mud-filled basements and shopfronts.

Mr Bonaccini has called for the national government to declare a state of emergency, something that is likely when the cabinet meets next week following Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s return from the G7 summit in Japan. Already, the region has said it is looking to reconstruction efforts and restoration of vital infrastructure.

“It will take gigantic work” to recover, said Mr Bonaccini.

In the town of Cesena locals were able to reach their mud-filled homes as the water receded.

“We had to throw everything away, nothing was saved. Water arrived up to here. The bed expanded with the water,” said resident Maurizio Cola. His wife Raffaella Zanni wiped away tears as she mourned the loss of one of her most precious belongings, her wedding album.

“All the memories,” Mr Cola said.

“Finished,” Ms Zanni added.

Sunday's Formula One Grand Prix in Imola, which is close to many of the worst-hit areas, was called off to relieve pressure on emergency services.

Italy hit by heavy floods - in pictures

The Superior Institute for Environmental Protection and Research has identified Emilia-Romagna as one of the Italian regions most at risk from flooding, where both territory and people face a greater danger of “hazard scenarios” than the rest of the country.

The hardest-hit eastern part of the region, sandwiched between the Apennine mountain chain and the Adriatic Sea, was first hit by intense rain early in May.

The second downpour tested the ability of drought-parched soil to absorb water, the institute said, adding that high sea elevations and bora winds against the coast may have contributed to the flooding of rivers and tributaries.

Pope Francis sent a telegram of condolences to the people of Emilia-Romagna, assuring them of his prayers, the Vatican said on Thursday.

Italy wasn't alone in coping with heavy rainfall, as parts of Slovenia, Croatia and Bosnia also reported flooding and landslides that required evacuations.