Thunderstorms packing torrential rains triggered flooding across a number of Italian cities, disrupting flights and forcing the authorities to close schools, markets and other public areas.

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.

ROME (AP) — Heavy rains hit the Italian regions of Tuscany and Emilia-Romagna on Friday, pushing the main rivers in the regions above alert levels for flooding. In the central Tuscany region, schools remained closed in several cities, including Florence, where the local administration closed museums, cinemas and theatres.