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Venice warned of serious flooding Venice is hit by serious flooding
(about 2 hours later)
Venice has been put on flood alert, with Italian officials warning the sea could rise 1.6m above its normal level - the highest in almost 30 years. Venice has been hit by the biggest flood in more than 20 years, with waters rising 1.56m (5ft) above normal.
Many of Venice's streets, including the famous St Mark's Square, were already under water on Monday morning. Many of Venice's streets, including the famous St Mark's Square, were submerged, before the high waters began to retreat.
The lagoon city in the Adriatic suffers some level of flooding for about 200 days every year.The lagoon city in the Adriatic suffers some level of flooding for about 200 days every year.
The authorities are planning to complete building an underwater dam to protect the city by 2011. The authorities are planning to complete the building of an underwater dam to protect the city by 2011.
Mayor's warningMayor's warning
The flooding could reach as high as 1.66m above sea level by noon (1100 GMT), Venice's Centro Maree, which monitors water levels, warned on Monday. Driven by strong winds, the sea level rose to 1.56m above normal on Monday, submerging nearly all of the city, including St Mark's Square, officials said.
Venice's famous St Mark's Square has suffered from floods in the past It was the highest "acqua alta", or high water, since it reached 1.58m in 1986.Advertisement
St Mark's Square and the rest of the city's historic centre were already submerged under almost a metre of water by late morning on Monday. Venice battles flood waters
The monitoring centre said the tide was being pushed by strong winds. A system of elevated wooden walkways was set up, while sirens and loudspeaker announcements reinforced the flood alert for the city's residents and tourists.
Mayor Massimo Cacciari urged residents to stay at home, and warned tourists thinking of coming to Venice to "think again", Italy's Ansa news agency reported. Mayor Massimo Cacciari urged residents to stay at home, and warned tourists thinking of coming to Venice to "think again".
"It's an exceptional 'acqua alta', and unless you absolutely have to, don't go out," the mayor said in a statement.
The situation was complicated by a transport strike affecting the city's "vaporetto" water buses.
Earlier, Venice's Centro Maree, which monitors water levels, warned that the flooding could reach as high as 1.66m above sea level.
However, the waters began subside after a sudden change in the wind's direction.
The last time the waters passed 1.6m was in 1979, when they reached 1.66m.The last time the waters passed 1.6m was in 1979, when they reached 1.66m.
In 1966, some 5,000 people in Venice were left homeless after an even higher flood hit the city. In 1966, some 5,000 people in Venice were left homeless after an even higher flood - 1.94m - hit the city.
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