Mudslides in Sicily kill 20

MUDSLIDES caused by heavy rain killed at least 20 people in the Sicilian city of Messina yesterday.

At least a further 40 people were injured after the mudslides swept away cars and caused several buildings to collapse during an overnight storm.

Rescuers were using dogs to search for the missing, but efforts were hampered by the fact that many roads and railways were cut off by the mud flows.

At least 100 people were forced to flee their homes, and more than a dozen were injured. Many were taken to hospitals by sea.