GETTY Six people were killed and two are missing in Italy after heavy rain swamped Livorno yesterday

FREE now and never miss the top politics stories again. SUBSCRIBE Invalid email Sign up fornow and never miss the top politics stories again. We will use your email address only for sending you newsletters. Please see our Privacy Notice for details of your data protection rights.

Around 10 inches of rain fell on the port town of Livorno in two hours between midnight and 2am, causing rivers and streams to overflow. On the city of Livorno website an official wrote: “The emergency is not over.”

And in a video posted on Twitter mayor Filippo Nogarin added: “Livorno has never been so devastated by bad weather.” He also said: "The situation is very difficult, it's critical. The city is on its knees."

GETTY The devastating scenes in Livorno after the rain

GETTY 'Livorno has never been so devastated by bad weather'

Weather forecasters had not predicted the violent cloudburst over central Italy. One British holidaymaker returning from the wedding of Rhiannon and Michael Edge, from South-east London, at Castello di Gabbiano, said: “The weather was beautiful, hot and sunny, on Friday.

Hurricane Irma: Damage in Florida latest pictures Wed, September 13, 2017 Strong winds and rain batter Florida as Hurricane Irma hits Play slideshow Getty Images 1 of 50 Jose Orosz walks his dog Karen by a beachfront home destroyed by Hurricane Irma