Italy: Severe floods in Pisa and Florence Serious flooding around the Arno River has swamped the Italian cities of Pisa and Florence in Friday. According to officials in Pisa, the river has reached levels unseen over the last 20 years. As a result, a team of emergency workers are erecting barriers and reinforcing banks to try to channel water into the sea. For safety reasons, officials decided to block off streets leading to the city centre. Meanwhile, waters rising at a dangerous rate flooded small towns around Florence and schools remained closed as a precaution. Heavy rain lashed Italy's capital Rome. There were significant traffic problems caused by fallen branches, while in the north part of the city a subway station was closed because of flooding.