Extreme weather batters Italy, red alert in Veneto. Torrential rain and powerful winds continue to batter much of Italy.
Heavy rainfall has lifted the level of many rivers, with some dangerously close to breaking their banks. A so-called 'water bomb' hit the town of Castelvetrano near Trapani in Sicily flooding streets, underpasses and basements and leading to the closure of schools. The northern city of Vicenza was spared the worst effects of the current floods due to the presence of retention basins.