Tuscany governor declares a state of emergency.

At least three people were killed as a result of severe floods that hit Italy's central Tuscany region on Thursday night as Storm Ciaran sweeps the country with heavy rain and high winds.

The three victims of the floods were all elderly, reports local newspaper La Nazione: two died in Montemurlo, in the Prato area, another in Rosignano, near Livorno.

Tuscany governor Eugenio Giani declared a regional state of emergency as a result of the floods which he blamed on climate change, in a post on social media.

pic.twitter.com/rEZOLbeI91

— Eugenio Giani (@EugenioGiani) November 2, 2023

Urging people to stay indoors and in the upper floors, Giani described the situation as "really very serious" and said that "every energy, every resource" of the region was being employed to battle the floods.

Authorities were using rubber dinghies to evacuate people from homes in the Seano, Quarrata and Campi Bisenzio areas, Giani said, adding that he had requested helicopters for those in need of urgent transfer to hospital.

Italy's transport and infrastructure minister Matteo Salvini posted dramatic footage on social media of cars being swept away by floods in Campi Bisenzio and said the government is monitoring the situation.

Stiamo seguendo i problemi causati dal maltempo (queste immagini arrivano da Campi Bisenzio, in #Toscana) in diverse zone d’Italia, con attenzione alle segnalazioni sulle situazioni più pericolose per i cittadini ed ai rischi su strade, ferrovie e infrastrutture.
La situazione è… pic.twitter.com/d8sGpKMoCl

— Matteo Salvini (@matteosalvinimi) November 2, 2023

Weather warnings are also in place in several northern regions of Italy on Friday, with Veneto and Fruili Venezia Giulia on red alert.

Many towns and cities in central and northern Italy have ordered the closure of schools and parks on Friday, news agency ANSA reports.