Floods caused by heavy rain swept through several towns in a mountainous region of central Italy, leaving 10 people dead and four missing, authorities said. Dozens of people escaped by climbing trees or rooftops.

New storms are alarmingly surprising. In just six hours, more than 400 millimeters of rain fell in the area, or a third of the annual rainfall, shared Civil Protection chief Mr. Fabrizio Curcio, who visited the scene.

Civil Protection has identified ten dead, including two children, while three remain missing. About 50 people were hospitalized and 150 were forced to leave their homes. Around 200 firemen were mobilized to help the victims. Some relief came from the nearby regions of Abruzzo or Emilia-Romagna.

The regional capital Ancona and surrounding areas were severely affected by the flood.

Mr. Mario Tozzi, a geologist, observed that six months’ worth of rain fell across the region in three hours.

“It’s a tragedy, but there was no warning, which leaves us speechless – we weren’t prepared for such intense rain. It started yesterday and by about 9 PM I was receiving videos where you could see the disaster the storms were causing. It’s a bit more under control now in Ancona city but in some towns it is very serious, like an apocalypse.”  Quoted Ms. Manuela Bora, a local councilor with the centre-left Democratic party.

Footage released by the fire service showed rescuers on rafts trying to evacuate people in the coastal town of Senegalia, while others tried to clear debris.

Mr. Stefano Aguzzi, head of civil protection in Marche’s local government, said the rain was much heavier than predicted. “We were given a normal alert for rain, but nobody had expected anything like this,” Mr. Aguzzi told reporters.

Health: Try these Yogas to maintain a better mental health