Rescuers work at the Raganello Gorge in Civita, Italy, on Monday. (CNN) — At least 10 people died Monday in flooding caused by heavy rain in the southern Italian region of Calabria, a spokesman for the Italian Civil Protection told CNN. Among the dead are six men and four women, the agency said. A further six people were injured, including a child, the spokesman said. Rescue operations started immediately after a small stream near the village of Civita overflowed at 5:30 p.m. local time, he said. The operations are still underway in the flooded canyon area, as at least three more people remain missing. So far, 23 people have been rescued. Francesco Capitaneo/ANSA/AP Rescue teams work at the gorge Monday in Pollino National Park. More than a hundred emergency rescuers are searching for survivors, the spokesman said, adding that the number of people missing is unknown. According to CNN affiliate Rai, a group of hikers exploring a narrow gorge in the Pollino National Park were caught by surprise by the rapidly rising waters. Among the 23 people rescued so far is a child who was transported to a nearby hospital, Rai reported. The National Alpine Cliff and Cave Rescue Corps (CNSAS) confirmed on Twitter that one child suffering from hypothermia had been evacuated. Clemente Angotti/ANSA/AP Rescue vehicles gather in Civita on Monday. The search for survivors will continue through the night, the head of Civil Protection Calabria, Carlo Tansi, told Rai. “Water rescuers, divers and a helicopter working on Alpine-river operations,” Italy’s Civil Protection Agency wrote on Twitter Monday evening. According to Rai, rescuers are hopeful that some hikers may have found refuge from the floodwater on rocky ledges in the gorge. The largely rural province covers the “toe” of Italy, and is the southernmost part of the the Italian mainland. CNN’s Laura Perez Maestro contributed to this report.<doc-sep>Milan: Heavy rain flooded a gorge filled with hikers on Monday in the southern region of Calabria, killing at least eight, Italy's civil protection agency said. At least another five were missing. The prefect's office said 23 people were rescued from the flash flood in the Raganello Gorge. They included a 10-year-old boy treated for hypothermia who was among seven that the civil protection agency said were hospitalised. Rescuers work at the Raganello Gorge in Civita, Italy. Credit:AP It was unclear how many people were missing but there were at least 36 hikers in two organised groups inside the 12-kilometre-long gorge, a popular aquatic trekking spot. TV images show rescuers scaling down the side of a steep rock face to bring hikers to safety. Guides are not required, making it impossible to know how many people were on their own inside the canyon.<doc-sep>Rome (AFP) - Eight hikers died when a mountain river suddenly flooded in Italy's southern Calabria region, with five people still missing, local emergency services said on Monday. "We have eight dead but we can't rule out the toll increasing," the local civil protection unit told AFP. A statement Monday evening from the prefecture of Cosenza, capital of the province where the flooding hit, said 23 people were saved and five were still missing, as well as the eight fatalities. It also said there were two groups of 18 hikers at the site. The Corriere della Sera daily reported the eight dead were four men and four women, while two of the 23 rescued were children, including a girl with hypothermia who was taken to hospital by helicopter. A local guide is among the five missing, according to the newspaper. Powerful lights were being used to help rescuers work under cover of darkness, regional civil protection chief Carlo Tansi said. A Dutch hiker, quoted in local media, said: "A real avalanche of water came unexpectedly. We did not have time to do anything. I was lucky, it was an incredible thing." Earlier on Monday this part of Calabria, near the city of Cosenza, experienced several hours of heavy rain and strong winds although conditions began to improve during the evening. The dramatic gorges carved by the Raganello river are only recommended for experienced hikers due to the many challenges posed by the route, which at certain times of the year is rendered off-limits, the AGI news agency reported. The local authorities strictly limited access to the area and have also marked certain rocky areas in order to help rescuers' efforts to locate hikers in trouble, the agency said.<doc-sep>
At least eight people were swept away when raging water tore through the Raganello Gorge in Italy's southern Calabria region on Monday, officials said. "We have eight dead but we can't rule out the toll increasing," the local civil protection unit told the AFP news agency. All of the victims are believed to be Italian tourists. Three groups of hikers were said to be in the creek when a heavy downpour caused water levels to rise suddenly. The Raganello Gorge is almost a kilometer deep in some sections "The problem is we don't know how many people were knocked over by this flood," the head of civil protection in Calabria, Carlo Tansi, told Sky TG24. "This is a split in the terrain that is very tight and high. Imagine nearly a kilometer (half a mile) in height. And just a few meters (yards) wide." Tansi said about a dozen people, including a 10-year-old boy, were brought to safety. Six of the rescued group were injured. As night fell, a helicopter was helping with the search operation, while rescue workers aided by powerful lights scoured the terrain. The 12-kilometer- (71/2-mile-) long Raganello Gorge on the eastern side of the Pollino National Park is a popular aquatic trekking area, with trails that take in striking rock formations, waterfalls and clear pools. nm/rc (AFP, Reuters, AP, dpa) Each evening at 1830 UTC, DW's editors send out a selection of the day's hard news and quality feature journalism. You can sign up to receive it directly here.