Rome, Oct 22 (IANS): Severe flooding caused by intense rainfall in Emilia-Romagna, northern Italy, has claimed one life and forced the evacuation of at least 2,500 people in the past 24 hours, mayor Matteo Lepore said on social media.

A 20-year-old man died on Sunday when the car he was driving with his brother was swept away by floodwaters in a small town near Bologna, the capital and largest city of the Emilia-Romagna region.

Heavy rains have battered the region since Saturday. By midday Monday, around 472 firefighting teams had conducted 890 rescue operations across the affected areas, according to the Fire Department. Residents in Bologna have been advised to avoid all non-essential travel since Sunday.

The flash floods have also caused widespread power outages, leaving approximately 12,000 households without electricity since Sunday. Around 3,500 homes are expected to remain without power until at least Monday, according to local officials, Xinhua news agency reported.

Damage and disruptions also occurred in southern Calabria region, with several road connections, including at least one state highway, cut off by landslides or floods on Monday after local rivers overflew their banks.

With more rain expected, an orange alert, the second-highest level for hydro-geological risk, has been issued for Emilia-Romagna, the Po Valley and parts of northern Lombardy and Veneto until midnight Monday, said the latest bulletin from the national Civil Protection agency.

On Tuesday, the risk level will be elevated to the highest red alert for Emilia-Romagna, particularly in Ferrara, its coastal areas and surrounding inland regions, according to regional authorities. A yellow alert, the third-highest warning, will remain in place for southern Calabria, Basilicata, and Sicily.