Rain-Swollen Rivers Flood Towns in North Italy; Venice Prepares to Raise Dike.

The article focuses on severe flooding in northern Italy caused by days of heavy rainfall, affecting towns such as Ravenna, Riccione, Pesaro, Cesena, and Modena. In Venice, authorities prepared to activate MOSES, a mobile barrier system designed to protect the city from high-tide flooding, marking its first use in May since construction began nearly 20 years ago. Emergency services conducted numerous rescues amid rising river levels and infrastructure closures, while schools and train routes were suspended in affected areas. The flooding follows a period of drought in the region, which had left riverbeds dry before the recent intense rains.