Rain-swollen rivers flood some towns in north Italy; Venice prepares to raise mobile dike in lagoon

Rivers swollen by days of downpours have flooded some towns in northern Italy. Meanwhile, Venice on Tuesday was preparing to activate the mobile barrier, known as MOSES, in the lagoon in hopes of sparing the city flooding by high-tides. In the tourist town of Ravenna, authorities urged residents to move to upper stories of buildings, while in Riccione, a beach resort on the Adriatic Sea, the mayor warned people to stay home. The nearby beach town of Pesaro, in the region of Marche, was flooded, while in Cesena, a city in the neighboring region of Emilia-Romagna, the Savio Ravio overflowed its banks. Meteorologists say Italy can expect several days of heavy rain.