One dead in Italy as floods sweep through Genoa

One dead in Italy as floods sweep through Genoa

GENOA, Italy - At least one person died when flood waters swept through the northwestern Italian city of Genoa overnight, smashing shop windows, washing away cars and leaving many streets knee deep in muddy water.

One of Genoa's biggest rivers, the Bisagno, burst its banks shortly before midnight after days of heavy rain, three years after another flood killed at least seven people in the medieval port city.

Emergency services said they had recovered the body of a 57-year-old man who had apparently been swept away.

Crews clearing debris from the streets early on Friday found cars piled up on top of each other and sunk into huge holes in the roads. Thick layers of mud reached high up many shop walls.

Recent floods have been exacerbated by Italy's mountainous and unstable geography and the poor state of public infrastructure in many areas.

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