People call for help as extreme floods engulf houses and roads in Italy – video

People trapped in a flat shouted for help as flood water engulfed entire houses in some parts of Italy.

At least five people have died and thousands were evacuated from their homes after rainwater formed devastating floods in northern and central Italy.

Fourteen rivers broke their banks in Emilia-Romagna and firefighters rescued citizens with helicopters or rubber dinghies from their roofs.

The torrential rains followed months of drought that dried out the land, reducing its capacity to absorb water, worsening the impact of the floods, meteorologists have said