Atleast two died in Italy and eight were missing in France after torrential rain, storms and flash floods hit the border area on Saturday.

Heavy rainfall in the area has resulted in flash floods washing away roads and houses, cutting off whole villages and triggering landslides as hundreds of rescuers raced to find stranded survivors.

The rains measuring upto 50 centimetres (20 inches) and high winds crashed into the area and wrecked the border area.

Storm Alex, which hit the west coast of France on Thursday, brought powerful winds and rain across the country before moving into Italy, where regions across the north suffered on onslaught throughout Saturday.

The head of Italy's Piedmont region said the storm was the most serious in those parts since a flood killed 70 people in 1994.