CATANIA - Eastern Sicily was hit by thunderstorms and heavy rains this weekend, resulting in flooding and hundreds of rescue operations, with two people in Scordia still missing, police said.

 The husband and wife, aged 67 and 54 respectively, were swept off the road by a flood of mud and water during the storms.

 The area has recorded 150 millimeters of rain - an amount that usually falls over a few months - and the civil protection has issued a red alert as firefighters continue to carry out interventions.

 Approximately 400 rescue operations were carried out in Sicily in one day, with the most critical issues being in Catania and Syracuse.

 Catania’s San Giuliano bridge, which crosses the Alcantara river in the Randazzo area, was also heavily damaged. So much water poured onto the bridge that it swept away the parapet, causing damage to the asphalt. Several motorists were blocked, unable to cross to the other side.

 In Calabria, the fire brigade carried out 180 operations within 24 hours, in particular in the areas of Reggio Calabria and Vibo Valentia.

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