Italian authorities continued to evacuate people on Thursday in new towns affected by flooding in the northern Emilia-Romagna region, where nine people died.

Torrential rains have lashed the Emilia-Romagna region, triggering floods and landslides, with some areas receiving half the average annual rainfall in 36 hours.

About 20 streams have burst their banks in the southeastern Emilia-Romagna region after torrential rains triggered landslides, according to local authorities.

On Thursday, the fire service continued to evacuate people from their homes. In total, more than 10,000 residents were forced to leave their homes.

The authorities have hired buses to evacuate residents of the communes of Villanova di Ravenna, Filetto and Boncalcechi, which are threatened by the overflowing of the Lamone River.

The armed forces and coast guard joined the rescue effort and mobilized helicopters and inflatable boats to reach homes surrounded by water.

Nine people died as a result of floods in Italy

In 36 hours, it rained for six months, but the ground is not absorbing anything because it happened after weeks and months of drought, the president of the Emilia-Romagna region, Stefano Bonacchini, said on Wednesday, adding that almost 400 roads were either destroyed or unusable, and electricity, water and telephones are out of service in many places, reports La Repubblica.

“We are facing catastrophic events that have probably never happened before,” said Stefano Bonacchini.

As a result of the flood, 9 people died, their lifeless bodies were found in different areas of the region.

It was the second time this month that Emilia-Romagna has been hit by bad weather – at least two people died during a storm in early May.

Formula 1 organizers have announced that the Imola Grand Prix will not take place due to heavy flooding in Italy.