Emergency crews were seen swimming through floodwater, searching for people suspected to have been trapped in cars in a flooded underpass in Palermo, Italy on Wednesday (July 15).

According to local officials, the city of Palermo on the Island of Sicily experienced the heaviest rainstorm in memory, causing severe flash floods and extensive damage.

Gabriella Gangi, the filmer, told Newsflare: "So much fear and so much damage caused by flooding. Cars destroyed, children pulled out from submerged cars. Rescue operations are not yet completed. Police and firefighters plunged into the mud to rescue trapped people in their submerged cars."

At least two people have been killed.

Ore 17,55 pioggia torrenziale travolge auto e mezzi pesanti trascinando nel fango persone intrappolate e poi soccorse da chi riusciva a mettersi in salvo. Circolazione in tilt. Tanta paura e tanti danni provocati da allagamenti di scantinati. Autovetture distrutte. Persone aoccorse da abitanti degli stabili vicini. Bambini tirati fuori dalla fanghiglia dentro le auto travolte. Operazioni di soccorso ancora non concluse. Polizia e vigili del fuoco si tuffavano nel fango per controllare che nelle auto travolte non dossero rimaate persone intrappolate.

17.55 torrential rain overwhelms cars and heavy vehicles dragging people trapped in the mud and then rescued by those who managed to escape. Tilt circulation. So much fear and so much damage caused by flooding of basements. Cars destroyed. People who came from nearby residents. Children pulled out of the slush inside the overwhelmed cars. Rescue operations not yet completed. Police and firefighters plunged into the mud to check that trapped people did not rhyme in the overwhelmed cars.