More than 200 millimetres of rain overnight between Thursday and Friday caused flash floods in the provinces of Catania, Syracuse, Messina and Enna, where high water and mud inundated roads and houses.
Rescue crews flew over the affected area in helicopters on Friday morning in an attempt to help those trapped on rooftops or inside vehicles.
“The water came suddenly, then we crashed into the railing and we were afraid we would die,” a local who was trapped in a vehicle told Italian news agency ANSA.
“I got out through the window and then the Carabinieri came to rescue us.”
No injuries or deaths have been reported, but at least one person had to be winched to safety.
Several major roads were partly closed on Friday, while many schools were ordered closed and several flights were diverted from Catania airport.
Find out how much rain each affected area received:
235 mm – Mineo
172 mm – Ramacca
132 mm – Catenanuova
127 mm – Francofonte
95 mm – Palazzolo Acreide
86 mm – Gela
85 mm – Castel di Iudica
83 mm – Linguaglossa
77 mm – Mazzarino
74 mm – Lentini
73 mm – Aidone
65 mm – Buccheri
59mm – Butera
54 mm – Agira
52 mm – Salemi
50 mm – Randazzo, Enna
49 mm – Comiso, Paternò, Ravanusa
48 mm – Licata
47 mm – Santa Croce Camerina
46 mm – Modica, Marsala, Mazara del Vallo
41 mm – Ragusa
40 mm – Trapani, Caltanissetta
39 mm – Scicli, Ispica, Piazza Armerina
31 mm – Syracuse, Ribera
25 mm – Noto, Pachino
24 mm – Agrigento
22 mm – Catania, Nicosia
