A monster high tide has left THREE QUARTERS of Venice under water as torrential rain and deadly gale-force winds have battered Italy.
At least six people have died after severe weather struck large swathes of the country, with strong winds bringing trees crashing down.
Heavy rains also left many rivers dangerously swollen, rescue services say, with the water level in Venice rising to more than five feet.
The lagoon city’s world-famous central St Mark’s Square – popular with locals and tourists alike – was heavily flooded, leading officials to bar access to it.
Photographs emerged of people wading waist deep through it.
Local authorities say the high tide hit a maximum of 156 centimetres (5.12 ft) in early afternoon – the fourth highest level ever recorded.
According to city officials, up to 75% of the city was under water.
Dramatic video footage shows people helping each other as they wade thigh-deep through floodwater, while tables and chairs are stacked up.
And with further bad weather forecast, schools in Venice were kept closed today – as well as in dozens of other cities and towns.
These included schools in Rome, Verona and Naples.
Veneto regional governor Luca Zaia warned this week’s conditions could match the levels of the 1966 flooding in Venice and Florence.
“All of Veneto is in code red alarm for this wave of bad weather,” he said.
The national Civil Protection Agency earlier issued multiple weather warnings as storms swept much of the country.
Many people were urged not to travel unless absolutely necessary.
South of Rome, two young people were killed when a tree hit the car they were travelling in amid the extreme weather.
Meanwhile, another person died in the nearby town of Terracina after howling winds brought down scores of slender, tall pine trees.
Several others suffered injuries.
"Stay at home. Do not go outside for any reason," Terracina Mayor Nicola Procaccini told residents.
A 21-year-old man was also killed by a falling tree as he was walking in Naples, while in the northern region of Liguria, a woman died after being struck by debris blown off a building.
It is thought at least six people have lost their lives so far.
Dozens of trees were reported uprooted across Rome, with many parks and tourist sites closed, including the Roman Forum and Colosseum.
Further south, the ancient Roman city of Pompeii was shuttered because of the blustery conditions.
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