Violent storms across Italy that led to four deaths over the weekend caused damage and disruption on air, port and city transport systems yesterday, officials said.

Two underground subway stations in the capital Rome that were closed due to flooding overnight remained shuttered early yestreday. Travellers were bussed between stops.

Four other stations reopened at the end of the morning after being closed during the rush hour.

Palermo airport on the island of Sicily was forced to close for 40 minutes after a tornado whipped a Falcon 2000 aircraft off the runway, throwing it against police and emergency vehicles.

The storm also ripped free the Suprema ferry from its moorings at Palermo port, causing a small boat nearby to sink before running into an English destroyer, the Monmouth, which was undamaged.

In northern Italy, snow and falling trees closed five mountain passes.

On Sunday, two hikers were found dead in a landslide, while a 72-year-old German tourist died after falling into a ravine and a man in his 40s from Milan was struck by lightning.