ROME, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- At least 11 people were dead and two went missing in a flash flood in southern Italy, local media and rescue services reported Monday.

The incident occurred during a holiday excursion along the banks of the Raganello River, which creates a scenic canyon that is 12 km long and 400 meters deep in the Pollino National Park in the southern Italy's Calabria region.

According to La Repubblica newspaper, 11 bodies have been found so far. Two groups of hikers totaling 36 men, women and children, plus a guide, were involved in the incident, the paper said.

ANSA news agency put the death toll at 10, saying a total of 23 people have been rescued so far.

"A flash flood has engulfed several people in the Raganello canyon," Alpine Rescue Services tweeted. "Several are confirmed dead. One child has been evacuated in a state of hypothermia. Specialized technicians are making their way up the canyon in search of the missing."

The rescue effort includes divers, a helicopter, and rescuers who specialize in caves and mountainous areas, the firefighters said.

Many of the hikers were on holiday from northern Italy, according to La Repubblica.