Italy floods kill 6; Genoa awash in mud

GENOA, Italy?? Italy's leader says improper construction in flood plains was partly to blame for devastating floods that have killed at least six people in the port city of Genoa.

Premier Silvio Berlusconi said in a statement Saturday "it is evident that there was construction in areas where there shouldn't have been." He said officials will look for ways to correct the problem so the floods don't repeat themselves.

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Torrential rains lashing Genoa and Italy's western coast on Friday triggered flash floods that broke the banks of at least two rivers. Berlusconi said it was "terrible" to watch the flooding unfold.

Six people were confirmed dead and one person was missing. Two of the dead were reported to be children.

One woman was reportedly crushed by cars being swept away by the water in Genoa.

As two rivers broke their banks, authorities urged residents to move to the upper floors of buildings and warned that the worst could still come with rains forecast at least through Saturday.

"Oh God, it's a disaster, it's a disaster!" wailed one woman whose video of recycling bins, motorcycles and cars being swept along city streets was shown on RAI state television. "Oh God, it's a person," she said, zeroing in on an apparent corpse floating in the cappuccino-colored rivers of mud.

Flights were canceled or delayed and Saturday's soccer match against Inter Milan was postponed as the Marassi neighborhood around Genoa's stadium has been among the hardest hit areas of the city.

Much of northern Italy was hit by heavy rains Friday, and flooding was also reported in Venice.

Last week the government declared a state of emergency in the northwestern Liguria region and Tuscany after storms lashed the coastal regions, killing at least 10 people and causing widespread flooding and mudslides.

That flooding brought down bridges and houses. Widespread flooding and mudslides in villages in the picturesque Cinque Terre area cut electricity and blocked roads and railways.

People in some of the towns were evacuated by sea.

The government allocated nearly $100 million in aid for the area.

The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.

Source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/45165468/ns/weather/

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