Chaos in Italy: Violent Storms, Heavy Rain Devastate the Country (PHOTO, VIDEO)

Several of Italy’s regions were placed on high alert as a combination of heavy rain and strong winds continues to wreak havoc across the country, with at least three people being killed amid the raging tempest.

The weather also reportedly put a serious strain on first responders, with firefighters being forced to respond to about 180 "weather-related incident" in a single night in Tuscany alone.

"The ground is already saturated with water, the rivers are full and due to sirocco (a strong hot wind from Northern Africa), the sea is not absorbing (the waters)," Luca Zaia, head of the Veneto region, said.

Follow Sputnik's live feed from Venice as some 70 percent of the city is flooded due to a storm system driving water levels up to some of the highest ever seen there.

The raging tempest also evoked a flurry of activity on social media as people rushed to share photos and videos from the afflicted regions, with hashtags #vento (wind) and #maltempo (bad weather)

In Trento, fish from an overflowing river was literally seen swimming across a motorway.

Pedestrians in Venice apparently need more that sturdy rubber boots to brave the flooded city streets.

The Piazza San Marco in Venice became covered in water.

Traffic in Rome is compounded by trees fallen by the merciless winds.

The weather also complicates the work of police officers as well.