Floods in northern Italy.

Video. WATCH: Firefighters evacuate people from flooded homes in Italy

Officials in northern Italy warned residents to get to higher ground on Wednesday amid fears that rain-swollen rivers would again burst their banks, after flooding killed at least three people and forced the evacuation of some 5,000.

Officials in northern Italy warned residents to get to higher ground on Wednesday amid fears that rain-swollen rivers would again burst their banks, after flooding killed at least three people and forced the evacuation of some 5,000.

The mayor of the city of Cesena in the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy urged residents to move to upper floors of their homes and avoid riverbanks, and announced the closure to traffic of some bridges and streets after heavy flooding sent rivers of mud sloshing through town.

Rescues were being hampered by the flooding, which cut off several roads, the deputy chief of the agency said.