Italy has been battered by fierce winds
and rain which have left 10 people dead in the west and north, while schools
and tourist sites closed in several regions amid fears for people's
safety.
Winds of up to 180km/h (110 mph) were reported,
and two tornadoes ripped through the centre of the coastal town of Terracina,
killing one person and leaving 10 others injured.
In the canal city of Venice, rising floodwaters
overwhelmed many of its famed squares and walkways, with officials saying as
much as 75% of the city is now submerged.
Venice's central St Mark's Square was closed on
Monday afternoon, after the water level reached "acqua alta" (high
water) of 156cm (5.1ft). It is the fourth highest level ever recorded.
Some
people took to the raised wooden walkways that are installed when there is
flooding.
Shopkeepers worked to try and keep the
water away from their stock
Beyond Venice in the north, it was a story of
high winds, fallen trees and landslides.
In the wider Veneto region, a man was killed by a
tree and a volunteer fireman died in the north-eastern border region of Alto
Adige, also known as South Tyrol.
A woman was killed when her home was hit by a
landslide and a fisherman's body was found hours after he went to check on his
boat on a lake in Trento. South of the beach resort of Rimini, a kite-surfer
aged 63 died when he was hurled against rocks..
Across
Italy six people died on Monday and further deaths were confirmed on Tuesday.
Some
of the worst conditions were reported on the west coast, particularly in
Liguria in the north-west.
The
outer breakwater wall in the fashionable port of Rapallo was destroyed as its
reinforced concreted crumbled, causing damage to some of the prize yachts
moored at the resort.
Firefighters
had to go to the rescue of 19 people after they became trapped in Rapallo.
Image
copyright EPA
Further south, the coastal province of Grosseto
said it had suffered a "calamitous" event, while trees fell down the
capital Rome and further south in Naples, where a 21-year-old student was
killed.
Two tornadoes tore roofs from buildings in
Terracina south of Rome, as residents ran for cover.
Meteorologists are warning that the bad weather
will continue. Transport and power supplies have been disrupted too.
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