This is the terrifying moment when a ‘tsunami of mud’ swept through an Italian Alpine town, sending people fleeing for their lives.
Dramatic video shows the swirling river of mud forming a huge wave as it overflowed and crashed into a street after heavy rain in the town of Bardonecchia, near Turin in the Val di Susa valley.
Shocked residents ran for their lives when the massive ‘mud tsunami’ slammed through a gate on Sunday evening, sending debris flying at them.
Further video shows a thick wall of mud thundering down the riverbanks that run through the Alpine town and cars covered in debris.
Rescue workers desperately searched for five people believed to be missing following the mudslide, but authorities later said all residents had been found and there were no casualties.
Dramatic video shows the swirling river of mud forming a huge wave as it overflowed and crashed into a street after heavy rain in the town of Bardonecchia, near Turin in the Val di Susa valley
Shocked residents ran for their lives as the massive ‘mud tsunami’ slammed through a gate on Sunday night, sending debris flying at them (right)
Further video shows a thick wall of mud flowing down the riverbanks that run through the Alpine town and cars covered in debris
Cars and campers were damaged by the mudslide in Bardonecchia on Sunday
Cars were covered in mud after the mudslide swept through the Italian Alpine town
Piedmont regional governor Alberto Cirio said the damage was significant and he had already asked the national government for help.
Civil defense crews were on their way to clear the debris from the roads and monitor the situation with the Frejus River, which was mainly involved, he said.
Firefighters said crews rescued six people overnight from an overturned RV after it was swept away by the mudslide.
Located at 1,300m, Bardonecchia is a popular destination for both mountain winter sports and summer walks, and several streams, creeks and tributaries flow into it, including the Frejus, Melezet and Rochemolles.
On Sunday, the town of 3,000 residents celebrated its patron saint’s day, St. Hipolito, with activities and games, and scheduled fireworks at night, according to the local tourism board.
Italy has faced a series of deadly floods and storms in recent months, killing 13 people in May after a devastating flood ravaged homes in the popular holiday region of Emilia-Romagna.
A car was damaged after heavy rain caused a mudslide in Italy’s Bardonecchia on Monday
Residents inspect the damage in Bardonecchia, Italy, on Monday after the mudslide
A gas station was covered in mud after the mudslide in Bardonecchia on Monday
Workers clear debris from the streets in Bardonecchia, Italy, after the mudslide
Desperate families – including young children and the elderly – were forced to clamber onto their roofs in the tourist hotspot as they anxiously waited for rescuers to reach them in helicopters.
Last month, severe storms hit northern Italy, killing a woman and a 16-year-old boy scout.
During the nightly storm on July 25, roofs were ripped off in Milan and hundreds of trees were uprooted. Roads were blocked and cars were destroyed by the debris.
In the northern provinces of Monza and Brescia, a woman and 16-year-old girl were killed after being crushed by falling trees, while a teenager was seriously injured when hit by a falling branch in the Veneto region.
Tourist attractions also suffered from the bad weather, as the Sforza Castle was closed after some tiles fell down and the rain was heavy enough to penetrate the glass-vaulted Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, Milan’s famous shopping arcade .