Italy floods: Heavy rain causes bridge to 'turn into waterfall'

A wave of extreme weather has hit the country

Video footage from southern Italy shows a bridge, transformed by recent heavy rain, take on the characteristics of a waterfall.

In the video, water gushes over the sides of the structure, which is located in Gagliano del Capo province, pouring into the valley below. Owners of Bar Ristorante L'Incanto, who posted the footage on Facebook, criticised the bridge's design for allowing the phenomenon to happen.

It comes during a wave of extreme weather across the country where flooding has brought some areas to a total standstill.

The situation has become so dire in some areas that local authorities issued an orange alert for the region of Calabria, where cities and towns ordered schools to stay closed.

Videos posted on social media showed water pouring down the stairs of metro stations in Rome. Six stations were closed in the nation's capital, with water reaching one-metre deep in some places.