Images: The Situation in Venice and St. Lazarus Island is Catastrophic

One of the most beautiful tourist cities, Venice, has been severely affected by floods that have plagued Italy. An emergency has been declared in Venice; as a result of the flooding, numerous medieval and ancient churches have been submerged, including the Armenian island of St. Lazarus, leaving the city in a "complete desolation," reports the Daily Mail.

Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte described the floods as a "great blow to the heart of the country." Conte also proposed measures to compensate for the millions of dollars in damages to Venice.

The Basilica di San Marco, a prime example of Byzantine architecture, has suffered greatly from the flooding. According to Venice's Archbishop Francesco Moraglia, the cathedral featuring many Byzantine-style mosaics, which houses the relics of St. Mark the Apostle as well as numerous valuable artworks brought from Constantinople during the Crusades, has sustained "irreparable damage."

Earlier, city officials reported that the water level in Venice has reached a record high of 187 cm. This is the second-highest recorded level in history, following the 194 cm level recorded in 1996.

The Armenian island of St. Lazarus has also been impacted by the severe flooding. The foundation of the Armenian church on the island has been submerged, and the ship "Armenia," anchored at the island's shore, has collided with the pier. The situation is being assessed as catastrophic. If the water level does not decrease within two days, the island may become completely submerged.