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Veneto and Liguria count the cost of storms and flooding

The Local Italy
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Veneto and Liguria count the cost of storms and flooding
Storms hit the harbour destroying hundreds of boats on October 30 in Rapallo, near Genoa. Photo: MARCO BERTORELLO / AFP

Photos show the devastation caused by storms across Italy this week, as the clean up operation begins.

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The clean-up effort has begun across Italy today after a wave of storms that is estimated to have caused millions of euros in damage to property and infrastructure.

11 people are reported dead after high winds, hail and torrential rain battered the entire country earlier this week, destroying roads and flooding towns and cities, including Venice.

St Mark's Square in Venice was evacuated as water rose to 156cm above sea level on Monday. Photo: Miguel Medina/AFP

Veneto Governor Luca Zaia said "the storms have caused a billion euros worth of damage" in the region alone, local media reported.

Culture ministry experts have started to inspect the mosaic flooring of St Mark's Basilica in Venice, which is believed to have been damaged after it was submerged in a historic 'acqua alta' (high water) as the storm peaked on Monday afternoon.

A man wades through the flooded St Mark's Square in Venice on Monday. Photo: Miguel Medina/AFP

The situation was similar in the region of Liguria, where extreme winds of up to 180 kilomtres per hour were recorded and waves up to seven metres high battered the coastline.

Hundreds of yachts were smashed to bits at Rapallo marina on Tuesday, and part of a dam in the region was destroyed.

A stranded boat in the harbour of Rapallo, near Genoa. Photo: MARCO BERTORELLO / AFP

Meanwhile hundreds of brand new Maserati cars were destroyed in a huge fire that broke out at the port of Savona, Liguria. The blaze is thought to have started with an electrical fault caused by flooding.

And the famously beautiful Ligurian village of Portofino was completely cut off as roads collapsed and high waves made it too dangerous to reach by sea.

Waves crash on the coastline in the Liguria region. Photo: MARCO BERTORELLO/AFP

Authorities in Tuscany, which had the most weather-related fire brigade call-outs of any region, have allocated half a million euros so far for storm damage relief.

Six regions in northern Italy were under red alert on Monday. In fact every region in the country, except for one small area in Sardinia, was subject to a red, orange or yellow alert as the wave of extreme weather swept the country.

A man working to clear debris in Liguria. Photo: MARCO BERTORELLO / AFP

 

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