TURIN -- Torrential rainfall throughout Northern Italy has caused the Po and Tanaro rivers to burst their banks and flood the surrounding areas, forcing 400 to be evacuated from their homes and leaving one person missing as regional fire services, rescue teams and the Piedmont Civil Protection Squad are on hand to respond to the damage.

 The flooding has sparked fear among inhabitants of Cuneo and Turin, reminding residents of the destruction in 1994 where many were killed due to such high water levels between Ormea and Alessandria.

 “Twenty-two years ago the water level was not as high as today, but since then many works have been introduced that help to prevent and deal with such risks,” said Giorgio Ferrais, Mayor of Ormea in 1994.

The countryside is widely saturated, electricity pylons have been broken, traffic problems are rife and an estimated total of 400 have been evacuated -- 250 from Cuneo and 150 from Turin.

 Valentino and Valentina, the two tourist boats which sailed the river Po in Turin, were swept away by the force of the water which broke their moorings. The two boats were trapped under the arches of the Gran Madre bridge in the centre of the capital. The bridge has been closed.

 In Ceva, the small town in the province of Cuneo, three traffic police officers had to be rescued from flooded barracks where dozens of families were displaced.

 “The emergency phase is not over, we are still waiting on the full rivers in Asti and Alessandria,” said Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi at the end of his visit to the Piedmont Civil Protection. “It is important that in the coming hours the government move immediately so that we can immediately start counting the damages and aiding the populations.”

 Teams of rescuers are in action in Perosa Argentina, just a few kilometres from Turin, where one person has been reported missing Friday morning in the Clot Ciampiano area, thought to have been swept away by the Chisone tributary. The man was believed to have been trying to recover his horses with his son (the family have a small farm) when he disappeared.

 The Tanaro river also began to rise in and around Alba, as some bridges were closed. In Turin, the Po rose one metre above the danger level on Thursday night, as well as some of its tributaries such as the Chisola, the Stura di Lanzo and the Dora Riparia. The Bormida stream has exceeded the alert level in the Alessandria area.

 Throughout the Piedmont region, rains remain very strong yet are expected to settle Friday afternoon.

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