Venice flood project to be ready in 2020

ROME－The ambitious plan to protect the Italian canal city of Venice from severe flooding went through its first dry run this week and had good early reviews.

Venice, on Italy's northeastern coastline, was battered by record flooding in November. Waters rose 1.87 meters above normal, leaving two people dead and causing more than 1 billion euros ($1.1 billion) in property damage, including harm to some of the city's cultural riches.

Flood risks are not new to Venice, which is made up of 118 small islands divided by canals and lagoons.