Three killed in Italy amid heavy rains, as snow hits Switzerland
At least three people have been killed in northern Italy after heavy rains, authorities said on Friday, as snow caused disruption in neighbouring Switzerland.
Northern Italian regions have been hit hard by severe rainfall, with Piedmont, South Tyrol and Lombardy heavily affected.
A father and son died when their car was carried off by floodwaters near Valdagno, between Venice and Lake Garda.
A 92-year-old man was separately found dead in his house near Turin on Thursday.
The situation was expected to calm down on Friday, but many rivers have burst their banks, causing flooding in several areas.
Dozens of people have been brought to safety by emergency services, while electricity has been cut off in some areas.
Piedmont has already provided €5 million ($5.7 million) in emergency aid.
The downpours have caused serious disruption to transport shortly before the Easter weekend, with connections between Austria, Italy and Switzerland being delayed.
Parts of Switzerland were also cut off due to heavy snowfall, with the popular Alpine skiing resort of Zermatt being cut off and many places being left without electricity.
Key transport routes such as the Simplon Pass and the Great St Bernard Tunnel were still closed, authorities said.
The risk of avalanches at all altitudes and the danger of falling trees is very high, they added.
More than half a metre of fresh snow reportedly hit the region on Thursday.
