The city of canals was once again flooded on Tuesday, following heavy rain and strong winds and the failed activation of a system of artificial dams.

The system of 78 flood gates, known as Mose, was designed to protect the city from tides of up to 3m.

However, it needs a 48-hour notice period to be activated, Reuters reported.

Weather forecasts on previous days had predicted rainfall pushing sea levels up to 1.2m, below the 1.3m threshold at which the system is activated.

But the sudden turn in the weather caught the city off guard and the waters invaded before the barriers could come up.

Venice's St Mark's Square - the city's lowest area at about 1m above sea level - as well as nearby shops and restaurants were inundated.

Head procurator of St Mark's Basilica, Mr Carlo Alberto Tesserin, said the narthex of the cathedral was completely flooded and that if the water rises any higher, "the internal chapels will also go under".

For now, locals are putting on their boots before wading out.

SEND US YOUR PICTURE

Do you have a Big Picture to share with us?

The image should be a recent one, with minimal digital enhancement. Send it to stimage@sph.com.sg with the title BIGPIC, followed by a description of your photo. Images should be in jpg format and no more than 2MB in size.