Italian authorities have revealed in a final toll of victims due to heavy rainfall in central regions of the country over the past two days, the death of at least 10 people while the search for missing persons continues.

A report published by The Washington Post indicated that rescue teams rushed to search for survivors in many areas affected by falling trees and floods that swept through the streets.

Local authorities in some cities have asked citizens "not to leave their homes, and to stay on the upper floors of houses."

In a press conference, Prime Minister Mario Draghi said, "At this stage, there are ten dead and four missing, but unfortunately these numbers are constantly increasing," according to a report by Agence France-Presse.

The head of the civil protection department in Italy said that the areas flooded within hours constitute about "a third of the rainfall that usually falls during a year," as this rainy weather comes after a record drought that affected many lakes and rivers and destroyed vast agricultural areas.

Corsio added, "There were moments of horror with unusual water levels."