Five die in Italian floods as rains leave trail of destruction

FIVE people died and two others were reported missing as flash floods hit southern Italy, sweeping away bridges, cutting roads and derailing a high-speed train, officials said.

Heavy rains caused the derailment of a high-speed train, injuring at least 25 passengers, authorities said.

Most suffered only minor injuries when six of the train’s carriages slid off the rails, but six people were being treated in hospital for fractures. The early morning train was travelling from Taranto to Milan.