IMPERIA – The body of a woman recovered in waters off Borgo Prino, Imperia, in Italy’s Liguria region, is believed to have drifted from France, Italia media reported on Monday.

 This is the sixth body found washed up in and around the beaches of western Liguria after deadly flooding in the Roya Valley in France.

 The other victims, all men, were found Sunday in Saremo, the Roya river in Ventimiglia and in Santo Stefano Al Mare, police said.

 Severe storms, which hit villages in the mountainous France-Italy border regions, moved across southeast France Saturday night before striking northern Italy, causing major flooding on both sides of the border.

 France has declared the region a natural disaster zone.

 There have been no reports of missing persons in Liguria.

 Meanwhile relief for Venetians as a multi-billion-euro flood barrier, known as Mose, protected the fragile lagoon city Satuday from rising waters during storms.

 “Today everything is dry. We stopped the sea,” Venice mayor Luigi Brugnaro told reporters.

 Comprising 78 gates, the barriers were activated for the first time after high tides were forecast for "La Serenissima."

 “Lots of bad things have happened here, but now something wonderful has happened,” Brugnaro said.

 Last year the city experienced the highest tide in 50 years, reaching 187cm, submerging St Mark’s Square under a metre of water.

 “Today is an important day, an historic day because we should have been full of water by now and instead we are dry,” said Massimo Milanese, who manages the Lavena Cafe in St. Mark’s Square.

  cc