Italy devastation: Violent thunderstorms rip through

Destructive winds tore through parts of Italy, a result of violent thunderstorms that initially swept through Corsica.

Following the Corsica thunderstorms earlier today, the Mesoscale Convective System (MCS) has since pushed eastwards and devastated parts of Italy, as seen from the video in Tuscany above.

The Gulf of Tigullio, La Spezia and upper Tuscany were hit hardest by the severe storms, enhanced by a convergence zone between two breezes: the warm Scirocco wind and the cooler, drier Libeccio wind.

Wind gusts of around 80mph were recorded near Piombino, alongside large-sized hailstones up to 7cm in diameter in Liguria, which smashed cars and house windows. Roofs of concrete houses were also blown off.

Flooding from torrential downpours also caused extensive damage, with recent record-breaking heat across the country providing the system with fuel.

According to a provisional toll, there have been at least three fatalities and several more injuries, alongside the two casualties in Corsica. Further storms are expected in the coming hours for Umbria, Tuscany, Lazio, Emilia-Romagna and Veneto.