MOSE Project

The Italian government announced a national state of emergency on Thursday evening due to the catastrophic flood in Venice, world agencies have reported.

Floodwater levels in Venice reached the highest level in more than 50 years, DW reported.

The mayor of the Italian city of Venice, Giorgio Orsoni, has resigned amid an investigation into alleged corruption over new flood barriers.

Orsoni stepped down a day after being released from house arrest under and has agreed to a four-month sentence but is unlikely to go to prison, the BBC reports.