Italian authorities ordered dozens of people in Tuscany to leave their homes on Friday after heavy rains swelled rivers and flooded streets near the historic cities of Florence and Pisa. Regional chief Eugenio Giani said a red weather alert demanded that people should exercise "maximum care and attention" amid "intense and persistent rain.

The Arno river, which runs through Florence and Pisa, is prone to flooding in spring and fall. Read more at straitstimes.com.

Heavy rains has hit the northern Italian regions of Tuscany and Emilia-Romagna, pushing the main rivers in the regions above alert levels for floodings.