A night of torrential rain caused flash floods in the province of Catania, where high water and mud covered roads and swept into houses.
Firefighters were flying overhead in helicopters on Friday morning in a bid to find those stranded on rooftops or inside their vehicles.
#Maltempo #Sicilia #19ott 11:30, 140 interventi effettuati dai #vigilidelfuoco nelle province di #Catania e #Siracusa. Interventi in corso a Militello, Scordia e Ramacca (CT), a Floridia e Lentini (SR) in atto salvataggi con l'elicottero #dragovf per lo straripamento di torrenti pic.twitter.com/kT1f8CiWhe
— Vigili del Fuoco (@emergenzavvf) October 19, 2018
While Catania was the worst hit, parts of the neighbouring provinces of Syracuse, Messina and Enna also saw damage.
No one is reported hurt, though at least one person had to be winched to safety.
“We were afraid we were going to die,” another person whose vehicle crashed in the floods told Rai News. “The water came suddenly and our car crashed into the guard rail… I got out through the window and the carabinieri came to rescue us.”
Loc. Sigonella (SR) #19ott 11.00, intervento per il #maltempo dell’elicottero #dragovf 68 dei #vigilidelfuoco per il salvataggio di sette persone rimaste bloccate all'interno dei propri automezzi #salvataggiquotidiani pic.twitter.com/YbJjgpRKXJ
— Vigili del Fuoco (@emergenzavvf) October 19, 2018
Several major roads were partly closed on Friday, including sections of state roads leading in and out of Catania. Some flights had to be diverted from Catania airport, Sicily's busiest.
Italy's civil protection department has placed the whole of south-eastern Sicily on yellow alert throughout Friday, as well as eastern Sardinia, where one person died last week in sudden, violent floods.
? #allertaGIALLA, venerdì #19ottobre, su Sardegna e Sicilia.
Avviso meteo del #18ottobre per piogge e temporali ➡️ https://t.co/ZZq1ZO9eMf#protezionecivile pic.twitter.com/BVFw1jv4Za— Dipartimento Protezione Civile (@DPCgov) October 18, 2018