At least three people have been killed by flooding after two days of heavy rain hit the Italian island of Sardinia, with two more people still missing on Sunday evening.

The victims died on Saturday and were all from the town of Bitti in eastern Sardinia, where the flood turned the streets into a deadly river of mud that dragged away cars in its fury and swallowed the lower floors of the town's houses.

Giuseppe Carzedda, 90, drowned in his home. A 55-year-old farmer, Giuseppe Mannu, was caught by a landslide while driving his vehicle. The third victim, 89-year-old Lia Orunesu, was swept away by the violence of the water as she stood outside her house. 

Firefighters and rescuers found her body on Sunday morning.

Residents spent the night shoveling the mud away from the town's streets and their houses, as the rain kept falling.

There were fears for two other towns near Bitti, Galtellì, where water was coming in from the nearby dam of Preda Othoni, and Torpè, where the water inside the dam Maccheronis has reached maximum levels. Residents have already been evacuated.

"I follow the news about how the bad weather in Sardinia will evolve with apprehension, as it unfortunately caused victims and people to go missing," Michele Pais, president of regional council, told reporters. 

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"I am close to mayors, law enforcement agencies and the Civil Protection, which in these hours is committed to saving the citizens," Pais added, expressing condolences to the families of the victims. "Sardinia will remain united."

A red weather alert was issued for the whole island as storms continued on Sunday. Extreme weather conditions were also foreseen for the regions of Sicily and Calabria.

The tragedy brought back the memory of the deadly cyclone that hit Sardinia in November 2013, when 19 people died in a flood that caused destruction in several towns.

Video editor: Nuri Moseinco