After leaving a trail of destruction in eastern Europe, Storm Boris moved westward to northern Italy on Thursday as floods and torrential rains ravaged the Emilia Romagna region.

Footage shows water overflowing into vast plains and green fields, winding small houses and farms that are scattered across the region.

Schools and libraries were closed in the region and the University of Bologna cancelled exams and lessons. Railway lines have been disrupted and landslides swallowed entire roads according to media reports.

Cleanup operations began on Friday after more than 1,000 people were evacuated to safety. Two people have been reported missing.

The rain is expected to let up, and a largely dry weekend is predicted. In other regions across central Europe, however, the flood risk persisted.

Swathes of Austria, Romania, Hungary, Poland, Slovakia, and the Czech Republic have also been battered by heavy rains and strong winds this week, triggering floods and evacuations.

Thousands have been forced to leave their homes across the continent and 24 people have reportedly been killed. It also left tens of thousands of households without electricity or fresh water in Austria, Romania, Hungary, Germany, Slovakia and the Czech Republic.

The flooding has stirred old memories of the catastrophic 1997 floods that claimed 114 lives and forced tens of thousands of people to evacuate in Poland and the Czech Republic.