wave then crashes through the street
A wave crashes through a street in Sicily
Sicily's fourth largest town Alcamo was hit by 35mm of rain around midnight on Wednesday, leaving chaos in its wake. Videos posted to social media captured forked lightning and raging torrents flowing through the Italian streets.

Parked cars were swept away, and flood waters invaded garages, basements and the ground floor of many homes, overwhelming the city in just a few hours. Emergency services received several requests for help throughout the night.

The tourist area of Taormina was on its knees, with beaches swept by the violence of the sea. Governor Schifani in Sicily expressed "heartfelt thanks to the regional civil protection, the volunteers, the municipalities, the fire brigade, the police force, and the thousands of people who worked tirelessly during the most difficult hours of the emergency", making it possible to "avoid the loss of human lives".

Authorities issued red alerts across Sicily and Sardinia as the storm unleashed gale-force winds, intense rain and dangerous storm surges. In total, 190 people were evacuated from exposed areas across Sicily.

It comes after storms also lashed Malta with hail piling up like snow and rivers of ice flooding streets. Malta's Civil Protection Department warned residents: "avoid working at heights, including rooftops, balconies, scaffolding, and exposed structures" and "Stay away from the shoreline, breakwaters, and coastal paths."