TERRIFYING footage shows flash floods ripping through towns in northwestern Italy.

Flash floods in northwestern Italy left one dead and over a dozen trapped
© Centro Meteo PiemonteFlash floods in northwestern Italy left one dead and over a dozen trapped
Franco Chiaffrino, a 70-year-old fruit seller, was killed after he was hit by a torrent of water while getting out of his van, local media reported.

Shocking videos show churning black water surging down the Frejus - a tunnel connecting France and Italy.

Torrential rain caused the waterway to break its banks, unleashing a violent flood across the region.

Rescuers are seen looking on helplessly as entire streets are submerged in the muddy floodwaters.

Residents were warned by the mayor to stay in their homes and avoid driving.


Franco was killed in Bardonecchia - a resort town 56 miles west of Turin, which hosted snowboarding events during the 2006 Winter Olympics.

Firefighters rescued at least 10 people trapped in buildings by the floods, along with a few people stuck in their cars, local media reported.

Alberto Cirio, President of the Piedmont Region, said on social media: "Today a water bomb hit the town of Bardonecchia suddenly, causing damage and unfortunately a victim."

He added: "We are increasingly faced with emergency situations due to weather events that we used to call exceptional but are now more and more frequent."

A similar disaster struck Bardonecchia in 2023 after heavy rains caused two streams - including the Frejus - to overflow.

Although a major landslide swept away cars and debris, no fatalities were reported.

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