Monday's high tide was caused by winds blowing from south to north, as part of a low-pressure weather system over northern Italy, which pushed water toward the city.

Tuesday's is not expected to be as severe, but it will still be at least 110 cm, a level which is only usually reached about four times a year, and which would cause flooding in more than 10 percent of the city.

Luca Zaia, the governor of the Veneto region where Venice is situated, closed schools in the region for a second day on Tuesday.

Other parts of Italy have also been affected by the bad weather.

Three people were killed by falling trees brought down by high winds near Naples, in the south of the country, and in the Lazio region surrounding the capital Rome.

The Pompeii archeological complex near Naples and the Colosseum and Roman Forum were all shut early because of the bad weather, and ferry services to the islands of Sardinia and Elba were halted because of the extremely high winds.