Floods swamp Venice

Tourists and residents struggle through thigh-deep waters submerging Venice.

About 70 percent of the canal city is covered in floodwaters after heavy rain swamped Italy over the weekend.

This is reported to be the island city's sixth flood of this magnitude since 1872.

Piazza San Marco, the heart of the popular tourist destination, was deserted and café tables were almost completely underwater.

Many shops and buildings are closed and the water was expected to recede only slightly throughout the day.