Rome, Aug 20 (AFP) Five hikers have died after a mountain stream suddenly flooded in Italy's Calabria region, local emergency services said today.

"We can confirm five deaths, according to the police on the scene," the local civil protection unit told AFP.

According to local media reports the five dead were part of a group of approximately 15 people walking along the Raganello stream in the Pollino national park, around a dozen of whom were rescued.

A search and rescue operation is ongoing, including with the help of a helicopter, to establish whether there are any more people missing. It is not clear how many people were in the park when the stream flooded.

Earlier today this part of Calabria, near the town of Cosenza, experienced several hours of heavy rain and strong winds although conditions have now eased. (AFP) SMJ

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