Rome is flooding

Heavy rains cause widespread flooding in Rome.

Now, emergency services are trying to clean up the mess.

Officials told Romans to stay off the streets.

Shops and basements are flooded.

Hairdresser Sabrina Morigho is fed up.

(SOUNDBITE) (Italian) HAIRDRESSER'S SHOP OWNER, SABRINA MORIGHO, SAYING:

"This happened not because we are near the river like they said on the television, it happened because they do not clean the drains on the streets. Here the water came up through the drains because they don't clean them, not from outside. Our shop flooded because of the blocked drains."

In the northern part of the city, parts of the metro are shut down.

In just a few hours, around 3,000 phone calls were made to the national 118 emergency telephone line.

Emergency workers are keeping a watchful eye on the Tiber river, with more heavy rain expected in the coming days.