Severe storms accompanied by heavy downpours followed a prolonged heatwave across northern Italy over the weekend. Several people died in freak accidents, including a woman whose car was buried by a landslide in Cortina d’Ampezzo on August 5.Northern Italy had seen temperatures of over 40 degrees Celsius (104 Fahrenheit) for several days before storms hit from Friday night into Saturday. Similarly high temperatures were recorded across southern Europe.This footage released by Italian emergency services shows the outskirts of Cortina d’Ampezzo buried under soil and rubble. Credit: Vigili del Fuoco via Storyful