been welcome to the city by the synagogues rabbi. at least nine people have died in italy as fierce winds and rains lashed much of the country the city of venice famous for its canals reporting record high water levels the extreme weather which has battered several parts of italy since sunday is causing severe transportation and power disruptions and led to some fatal accidents. red alert amount to the mahdi. traffic partially paralyzed in italy s northwest bad weather also inching popular holiday destination. further east mark s square was temporarily closed submerged up to a meter and a half schools and universities have been shut flooding is not unusual in venice but the water hasn t reached this level for ten years many italian regions are on highest alert schools were closed in rome and the scene here mirrors that elsewhere