The Arno River rose to its highest levels today since 1992. The City of Florence asked everyone to stay away from the riverbanks as the Arno flowed at a capacity of 2,148 cubic metres per second in the early afternoon.
More than 62 millimetres of rain have fallen on Florence in the last 24 hours with winds blowing up to 76 kilometres an hour on Saturday night.
In Pisa, the authorities are preparing for the worst as the Arno is expected to reach its peak capacity. Shops have been closed and people are asked to avoid bridges.