Rome, 18 May 2023 (dpa/MIA) – Italy's Emilia-Romagna region remained at the highest alert level on Thursday following devastating floods that claimed the lives of at least nine people along the country's Adriatic coast.

Evacuations were proceeding in certain parts of the region early on Thursday, with an immediate evacuation order in force in the province of Ravenna.

While further rain is not expected, the civil protection department urged caution. Several people were reported still missing. The Ravenna, Forlì-Cesena and Rimini provinces in Emilia-Romagna – and in particular the cities of Faenza, Cesena and Forlì – were worst hit.

According to the most recent information on Wednesday, 23 rivers in the region had burst their banks, with 41 municipalities affected by flooding.

Authorities recorded 280 landslides, and 400 blocked roads. Emergency services have been called out around 2,000 times over the past 48 hours, deploying 900 fire officers and 300 vehicles.

Thousands of people have been evacuated, with the region's president, Stefano Bonaccini, referring to "incredible numbers and lots of evacuations." The civil protection department said around 50,000 people were without electricity and 100,000 without a connection to the mobile network.

Entire villages remain under water, and many roads are covered in mud. The Coldiretti agricultural association described the damage to crops as "incalculable" and said "valuable agricultural land has been devastated."

Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has called a cabinet meeting to arrange financial support for Emilia-Romagna and to discuss specific measures against landslides and flooding.