"Thrilling Footage: Massive Waves Crash into Cars on Coastal Road as Drivers Race to Escape Flooding!"

THIS is the terrifying moment a towering wave smashed into coastal road and threatened to wash cars straight into the sea.

Violent storms battered southern Italy this week, sending huge waves crashing over roads and flooding areas packed with vehicles.

Dramatic storms have battered southern Italy this weekCredit: Carmelo Magenta Footage shows huge waves crashing over roadsCredit: Carmelo Magenta The moment a towering wave smashed into vehiclesCredit: Carmelo Magenta

Shocking video shows the drama unfolding on a narrow stretch of road between the seaside towns of Scilla and Chianalea.

As floodwater already covered the tarmac, two cars hesitated – seemingly unsure whether to risk driving on.

Then chaos struck as a massive wave surged over the sea wall and slammed onto the road, completely drenching the first car and swallowing it in water.

Water poured across the road and cascaded downhill as another wave hit further along, pushing flood levels even higher.

The second car, sitting further from the danger, suddenly reversed and fled the scene, disappearing from view.

Moments later, the soaked first car slowly edged backwards, attempting a desperate three-point turn as the sea continued to rage.

The dramatic footage was captured on January 10 by Carmelo Magenta.

Despite the frightening scenes, Italian media reported that no injuries were caused by the waves.

The storms have continued to batter the Calabria region, with forecasters warning of renewed strong winds and rough seas in the Strait of Messina.

The town of Scilla is ominously named after the mythological sea monster Scylla – a creature said to terrorise sailors in the same treacherous waters.

Weather officials say the dangerous conditions are far from over, with rough seas expected to continue.

It comes as in November last year, with two people reported missing after a landslide smashed into a house.

Six regions, including Tuscany, were placed under severe weather warnings as torrential rain turned roads into rivers and swamped entire communities.

The drama unfolded in Brazzano di Cormons, near Gorizia, where a landslide crashed into a home, triggering a frantic search for survivors.

Firefighters raced to the scene and pulled one person alive from the rubble, rushing them to hospital with a broken leg.

Widespread devastation was also reported across Friuli Venezia Giulia in Italy’s north-east.

Emilia Romagna, Liguria, Lombardy, Tuscany and Umbria were all placed on high alert after a night of biblical downpours.

Schools in Cormons were forced to close, while around 300 residents in Versa were evacuated after the Torre River burst its banks.

Some locals were forced to climb onto rooftops or scramble out of windows to escape the fast-rising water.

Dozens of emergency crews were deployed, with helicopters and small boats scouring flooded streets.

Shocking footage showed residents wading through knee-high water as entire streets became raging rivers.

Whole communities were left submerged in brown, murky floodwater, with homes and infrastructure left badly damaged.

As floodwater already covered the tarmac, two cars hesitatedCredit: Carmelo Magenta Shocking video shows the drama unfolding on a narrow stretch of roadCredit: Carmelo Magenta Water poured across the road and cascaded downhill as another wave hitCredit: Carmelo Magenta