A red weather alert issued Friday by authorities in Florence, as well as in major cities across Tuscany, after heavy rain swelled rivers and flooded streets was eased on Saturday when weather conditions improved.

There has been flooding and landslides in parts of northern Italy as red alerts cover cities including Florence and Pisa. Torrential rain prompted the alerts for parts of Tuscany and Emilia-Romagna, with heavy and persistent rainfall expected into the afternoon on Friday.

ROME : Florence was out of danger due to the “decisive” role of a key floodgate that prevented the Arno river from bursting its banks after heavy rains, Italian authorities said.