Rome, Oct 16 (IANS/AKI): The death toll has risen to five after storms and torrential rains lashed several Italian regions, causing landslides, flash floods and sinkholes.

Meanwhile, further flood warnings were issued for Calabria, Sicily, Puglia and Basilicata in the south.

A 70-year-old man who had a heart condition died in Varoni di Montesarchio in Benevento province in Campania region, reportedly as he tried to clean up debris from floods that caused the river Calore to overflow.

Also in Benevento province, a 70-year-old woman died in the town of Pago Veiano when water flooded into her home following torrential rains.

A 40-year-old man died in the town of Paliano in the central Lazio region surrounding Rome after the car he was travelling in fell into a crater that opened up due to flash floods.

Two other people who were travelling in the car at the time reportedly managed to pull themselves out to safety.

A 51-year-old woman was killed in Civitella Roveto near the central Abruzzo region's capital L'Aquila in central Italy when a landslide caused a wall at her property to collapse on top of her.

Also on Wednesday, a 67-year-old man was found dead in his flooded basement in the town of Tagliacozzo also in L'Aquila province.

Some 100 people had to be evacuated in Canistro, near L'Aquila, when the Rio Spalto overflowed and four people were rescued from a barn roof in Tivoli, near Rome when the river Aniene burst its banks.

Despite extreme weather warnings and the early closure of schools in Rome, the capital avoided the storms that battered surrounding towns and cities.