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Sirens Sound Again in Deluged Venice

Jamie Dettmer

   ROME - Venetians were woken up at dawn Friday to the wailing of flood
   sirens and the lapping of water as the already-deluged Italian city was
   struck by a new tidal surge, further damaging ancient monuments,
   palaces and churches and striking fear into residents.

   Although the new high tide, swollen by days of torrential rains, didn't
   reach the height of Tuesday's "acqua alta," or high waters, authorities
   say that more than 80 percent of the stricken city, a UNESCO world
   heritage site, is covered in water with shops marooned, homes flooded,
   and street kiosks and newsstands washed away.

   The Italian prime minister, Giuseppe Conte, declared a state of
   emergency Thursday after sewage-tainted rivers coursed down Venice's
   narrow streets and flooded the city's iconic St. Mark's Square. He
   called the flooding "a blow to the heart of our country" before taking
   a tour by powerboat to visit businesses and locals impacted by the
   tide.

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