Photos: Exceptional rains in drought-struck northern Italy kill eight

Exceptional rains in a drought-struck region of northern Italy swelled rivers over their banks, killing at least eight people, forcing the evacuation of thousands and prompting officials to warn that Italy needs a national plan to combat climate change-induced flooding.

Rescuers saving a man from the roof of a flooded house, in the area of the town of Faenza in the northern Italian region of Emilia Romagna.

A speleological alpine rescuer looks in a car for missing persons near a supermarket in a flooded area in Cesena.

Damaged cars in a flooded street in San Rocco district after the flooding of the Savio river.

A car drives on a flooded street in the aftermath of a heavy rain that hit Italy's northern Emilia-Romagna region, in Ponte Rizzoli near Bologna, Italy.

Flooded cars are pictured in a street of Cesena after heavy rains caused major floodings in central Italy.

A flooded street is pictured in Cesena after heavy rains caused major floodings in central Italy.

Flooded bungalows are pictured in Cesena after heavy rains caused major floodings in central Italy.

Sandbags are lined up along a flooded street in downtown Bologna, Italy.

Speleological alpine rescuers search for missing persons in a flooded area near a supermarket in Cesena.