“Catastrophic” - Emilia Romagna devastated by tragedy amid F1 cancellation

• Will F1 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix at Imola be rescheduled?
• Emilia Romagna Grand Prix called off due to extreme flooding

Due for this weekend, the F1 at Imola was called off on Wednesday due to the extreme weather conditions in the whole region of Emilia Romagna.

Flooding has resulted in eight people dying, with several more still missing.

Around 5,000 more people have been evacuated from the area, including some who were rescued from their rooftops via helicopter.

Severe floods are widespread across Italy's Emilia Romagna region after heavy rains, with rescue operations underwayhttps://t.co/8xyWy2d9Fw pic.twitter.com/H5EQH9UBHj

— Sky News (@SkyNews) May 17, 2023

Fourteen rivers have burst their banks, flooding 23 towns.

"It's probably been the worst night in the history of Romagna," Ravenna Mayor Michele de Pascale said to Italy's RAI public broadcaster. "Ravenna is unrecognisable for the damage it has suffered."

Mayor of Forli, Gian Luca Zattini, described his town as "on its knees, devastated and in pain" to AFP news agency.

The BBC reported that people in single-storey homes in Castel Bolognese needed to be rescued, while their mayor called the flooding “catastrophic”.

There is no electricity in Castel Bolognese, the BBC add.

People across the Emilia Romagna region are taking shelter in schools and gyms.

"Those who live in areas close to watercourses should move to higher floors," said Regional President Stefano Bonaccini.

Italian Prime Minister Georgia Meloni has held crisis meetings but, in some areas, the quantity of rainfall exceeded the technology’s capability of recording it.