Italy to declare state of emergency in Venice after floods

VENICE: Italy was poised to declare a state of emergency for Venice on Thursday after an exceptional tide surged through churches, shops and homes, causing millions of euros worth of damage to the Unesco city.

Tourists larked around in the flooded St Mark’s Square in the sunshine, snapping selfies in their neon plastic boots and taking advantage of a respite in bad weather which has driven the high tides.

Sirens warning of fresh flooding rang through the canal city early on Thursday but the water level remained low compared to Tuesday’s tide, the highest in 50 years. Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte, who has called the flooding "a blow to the heart of our country", met Venice’s mayor and emergency services before jumping in a speed boat to visit businesses and locals affected by the tide.

Residents whose houses had been hit would immediately get up to 5,000 euros ($5,500) in government aid, while restaurant and shop owners could receive up to 20,000 euros and apply for more later, he said.