Video report by ITV News reporter Eli Pitt

Serious The weather Two people have been killed across Europe and thousands more are missing in Italy and France, as the UK could cause massive flooding.

Two people have been killed and at least 24 are missing in Italy as a result of record-breaking rainfall over mountainous areas across France and Italy.

A storm that swept across southeastern France and then northern Italy overnight caused massive flooding on both sides of the border, destroying bridges, blocking roads and isolating communities.

In Italy, a firefighter was killed during a rescue operation in the Val de Aosta region in the northern highlands.

A man drowned in floodwaters late Friday night, and another body was found near the province of Versailles.

And in the UK there are more than 20 flood warnings in place of heavy rains across the country

The worst-hit areas so far include parts of Exmor, with Liscombe receiving 64 mm of rain in 3 hours and Brendon Hill recording 744.4 mm.

There will be 25 to 50 mm of rain in many places this weekend, the Met Office said, and some open highlands in Snowdonia and Exmore are likely to be 120 mm more.

Civil protection authorities say a total of 116 people have been reported missing in Italy, with all but one passenger in a car in the Corn de Tandy highlands between France and Italy.

Among them are two men from Germany with their 11-year-old and six-year-old grandchildren and a pair of brothers returning from France.

A spokesman for Italian firefighters said a search was under way for a missing shepherd in the floodwaters of the Corn d’Andy.

His brother was able to grab a tree and escape, and the officers searched the French side for the shepherd.

Record rainfall causes massive floods in Italy:

Firefighter spokesman Luca Curry said he suspected other people who had gone missing in Italy had lost phone contact, but did not appear to be in imminent danger at the moment.

Mr Carey said the situation in the high mountain pass tunnel was complicated by the fact that French emergency responders could not enter on their behalf due to flood damage.

Italian firefighters were looking for the French side for those who may have been blocked.

According to the Italian Civil Protection, the Piedmont region of northern Italy has not seen an overnight rainfall since 1958, with 3,030 millimeters (24.6 mm) of rainfall over a 24-hour period.

Hundreds of rescue operations are underway.

Eleven camps were rescued in the province of Versailles, where floodwaters reached a 20-year high.

And Alpine rescue teams have taken seven people on foot to homes cut off by flooding in Terme de Valdডre; Some had to be carried on stretchers due to the raw conditions and the accumulation of detritus.

At the other end of the border, in southeastern France, an average of about a year’s rainfall fell in less than 12 hours in the mountains surrounding the city of Nice.

Excellent Mayor Christian Astrosi expressed his “passion and sympathy” towards the family.

Hundreds of homes have been destroyed or severely damaged, he said.

Dozens of people were evacuated overnight, firefighters said.

French Prime Minister Jean Castex, who flew to the region in a helicopter, confirmed that at least eight people, including two firefighters, were missing when the road collapsed during a rescue operation.

“I can’t confirm our serious concern,” Mr Cassack said.

Many concerned families did not hear from their relatives as mobile phone service was cut off in the area.

“As I speak, the priority is to search for the victims, provide supplies and housing for the victims, and restore communication,” she said.

The rescue effort included 81 ground crews, as well as military helicopters and emergency services, Mr Cassex said.

On Saturday, French President Emmanuel Macron took to Twitter to express his gratitude to the rescuers.

“Together we have to get through it,” he said.

The French National Meteorological Agency, Meteo France, said some areas recorded about 500 millimeters (19.7in) of rainfall, the equivalent of an average rainfall of about a year.

Meteo France issued a danger warning on Friday and all schools in the region were closed.

Local authorities urged people to stay home.