A towering waterspout swept towards a tourist boat off Italy’s coast as severe storms and deadly flash flooding battered parts of the country.
Striking video captured the powerful sea vortex spinning across the water near San Michele di Pagana, close to Rapallo in northern Italy, on Thursday morning.
As the funnel appeared to move directly into the boat’s path, a man filming the scene could be heard repeatedly crying, “No, no, no, no.” The tourist vessel was narrowly spared.
Nearby boats were tossed by the rough water while the twister hurled spray high into the air. The waterspout later weakened and disappeared near Preli.
According to local reports, the waterspout crossed in front of Santa Margherita and passed extremely close to the tourist boat, though no damage was reported.
The dramatic waterspout came as major flooding hit areas of Veneto and Friuli, where a slow-moving thunderstorm dropped between 100mm and 200mm of rain along the coastline overnight.
Authorities issued a yellow weather warning for the region, which remained in place through Thursday evening.
Video from Lignano showed intense rain hammering the outdoor tables of a café as motorists drove through waterlogged streets.
The latest extreme weather followed deadly storms elsewhere in Italy, where two women died after torrential conditions triggered flash floods, landslides and tornadoes.
A massive waterspout approached a tourist boat off the Italian coast as violent storms and fatal flash floods struck the country
Dramatic footage shows the towering vortex churning across the sea off San Michele di Pagana, near Rapallo in northern Italy, on Thursday morning
A man can be heard repeatedly shouting ‘no, no, no, no’ as the waterspout appears to head towards a tourist boat in its path, narrowly missing the vessel
Bad weather at the Coliseum in Rome, Italy, on September 10
A tree fell on cars in via Morgagni due to bad weather Milan – Italy
ALSO READ: Why King Charles Called Harry and Meghan ‘Private Citizens’
Severe thunderstorms pummelled northern and central regions, with more than 63,000 lightning strikes recorded in Tuscany in just 12 hours.
Emergency crews carried out more than 200 rescue operations, while dozens of people were forced to flee their homes.
In Milan, the Lambro River burst its banks, sending water surging through city streets.
An 83-year-old woman drowned in Latisana after becoming trapped in her car during flash floods.
A police officer dived into the water and pulled her from the vehicle but she could not be saved. He was taken to hospital with injuries sustained during the rescue.
A second elderly woman died after a tornado struck the Sinalunga area on Thursday.
She had reportedly been closing a window when the glass shattered and a shard severed a major vein in her leg.
The powerful winds also ripped the roof from a sports hall in Sinalunga and brought down trees.
Local authorities said the area had been ‘hit by a particularly intense weather event’, adding that roofs of homes and businesses had also been damaged.
The storms caused further chaos across Italy, with the Tagliamento River overflowing and homes flooded in several towns along its banks.
In Venice, firefighters rushed to rescue a pregnant woman who became trapped inside her car on Thursday morning, amid around 140 calls for help received by the city’s fire brigade.
Around 45 people were evacuated from their homes in Cataeggio, near Sondrio, after heavy rain triggered a landslide.
The downpours also flooded parts of Brescia’s Civili hospital, while firefighters in the eastern Marche region received more than 100 calls over damaged buildings and fallen trees.
Emergency crews have been deployed across the country as the extreme weather continues to cause widespread disruption.