Violent hailstorms and flooding bring Rome and Milan to a standstill

A hailstorm hit Rome on Sunday evening, flooding streets and disrupting traffic across the Italian capital.

The temperature around the city dropped by 10C during the storm and many cities across Italy, from Milan to Palermo, experienced heavy rainstorms and flooding over the weekend.

• Watch how visibility was affected while driving

Some motorists were forced to abandon their cars as they became submerged in the deluge.

According to local news reports, the San Sebastiano Basilica was flooded with up to half a metre of water.

• Watch severe flooding cause rubbish to float through the capital

Five metro stations were closed because of flooding and the mayor of Rome was quoted as saying that emergency crews had worked throughout the night to try to bring the situation back to normal.