On the other side of the peninsula, at La Spezia, a storm slammed a bulk carrier against a jetty, holing it and dumping thousands of litres of fuel into the harbor, the Italian news agency ANSA said.

Venice was hit by a common seasonal phenomenon as winds and tides backed up the Adriatic waters, causing levels in the lagoon to rise.

According to the city's flood center, the water rose 1.32 meters (four foot four inches) above normal sea level.

In Saint Mark's Square, which was covered by about 20 centimeters of water, the rare tourists covered their shoes with plastic bags.

Forecasters said the water level was expected to decline Sunday, but warned the weather would turn for the worse again on Tuesday.

The government is building a system of barriers at the entrance to the lagoon to prevent a repetition of the catastrophic 1966 flood that saw the Renaissance canal city submered under two meters of water.

But the barrage, consisting of 78 hinged barriers resting on the sea flood, is not expected to be finished before 2011.

In La Spezia, authorities were concerned about pollution after the Georgia-registered bulk cement carrier Margaret dragged its anchor in high winds, hit a pier and sank in about 10 meters of water just off the commercial port.

Several anti-pollution vessels were quickly on the scene and others were to arrive on Sunday, said Environment Miniser Altero Matteoli.

"The situation is for the moment under control, our vigilance is at maximum level and anti-pollution measures were rapidly activated," he added.

All 13 crew members aboard the ship were reported safe. Some threw themselves into the sea as the ship began to list while others were lifted off by helicopter and coast guard vessels.

Police said the chief engineer aboard the ship reported that it was carrying some 85,000 liters of fuel, and not 13,000 as earlier reported by

The 84-meter (275-foot) Margaret sought refuge at La Spezia when it was caught by the storm as it was travelling from Genoa to the Bulgarian port of Varna, officials said.

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