Two pensioners missing in Italy storms after landslide engulfed their home

© Il Meteo

Ten people in Chiavari, Liguria, were brought to safety in a rubber dinghy as floods hit the town.

The two elderly cousins were believed to have been at home when the landslide hit at around midnight in Leivi. Despite rescuers' efforts they have not been found, La Stampa reported.

Earlier in the evening it took the fire brigade two hours to save two women, one pregnant, from their nearby home after it was hit by a landslide.

A further ten people in Chiavari were brought to safety in a rubber dinghy, as torrential rain prompted streams and the River Rupinario to burst their banks.

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Lightning during the storm also hit a train line between Chiavari and Zoagli, reported.

Although the storm subsided on Tuesday morning, both Liguria and Tuscany remain on high alert. Less severe weather warnings have also been put out across parts of northern and central Italy.

The Chiavari floods come just days after violent storms swept across Italy, leaving parts of the country under water. At least five people were airlifted to safety in Carrara, Tuscany, one of the worst affected areas.

As the storms headed south an Altalia jet was struck by lightning on Thursday night, while schools were shut in Rome and a tornado battered Sicily.