Three friends seen hugging each other moments before being swept away in flash flood

Three friends were seen hugging each other moments before being swept away in a devastating flash flood.

Storms and heavy rainfall have left large parts of northern Italy suffering from flash floods, with emergency services using dinghies to rescue people from their homes.

The cities of Padua and Vicenza have been greatly affected, with the governor of the Veneto region describing recent weather as being like a 'water bomb'.

Flash floods have swept across northern Italy. (Piero Cruciatti/Anadolu via Getty Images)

Speaking to the Corriere del Veneto newspaper, Professor Marco Marani said: "Extreme events are becoming more frequent and will increase with the increase of global warming."

Patrizia Cormos, 20, her friend Bianca Doros, 23, and her boyfriend Cristian Molnar, 25, had decided to take a stroll along the Natisone River near Udine in the northern Friuli region on Friday (31 May).

But during this trek, the river reached surged to dangerous levels after days of torrential rain in the area.

Tragically, the two women and man were last seen alive on Friday standing in thigh deep river water. They stood on a tiny island they had walked to in the river for higher ground, but that was not enough.

As rescue efforts got underway, a heartbreaking video from the scene showed the trio hugging each other as they remained trapped as they remained trapped in the rising river.

The trio could be seen hugging moments before tragedy. (X/@Tg3web)

Describing the search efforts, Giorgio Basile, the chief of the provincial firefighters in Udine, said: "We threw them a rope, but they were literally swallowed up by the flood waters in front of our eyes. We watched them disappear."

Two bodies were discovered on Sunday (2 June), believed to be Ms. Cormos and Ms. Doros.

The pair were found around 1km from where they were last seen.

Local officials have opened an investigation into the tragedy as the search for Mr. Molnar continues.

Firefighters and other local officials have been using drones, boats and divers to search the river for missing people since Friday.

Two bodies have been found. (X/@Tg3web)

One of the women called emergency services for help at around 1.35pm on Friday.

Firefighters who quickly arrived on the scene urged them to stick together from a nearby bridge as they attempted to throw a rope.

However, before they were able to do so, as the three were carried away by a strong current.

“The main element is not so much the rain, it is the power of the river, the very strong currents,” Basile added.

"There are gorges, there is a backwash of water and even for the experts it is a particularly treacherous task."