Exceptionally high tide in Venice left the city inundated on Tuesday. Emergency services have swung in to control the situation.
The high tide that flooded Venice on Tuesday peaked at 1.87 metres (six feet). Meanwhile, tourists have been left stranded as fierce winds scathed St. Mark’s Square.
Notably, flood alarm has been sounded across the city to warn people, the tide monitoring centre averred. “We’re currently facing an exceptionally high tide. Everyone has been mobilised to cope with the emergency,” Venice’s mayor Luigi Brugnaro tweeted.
Previously, the city experienced such exacerbating conditions in 1966 when high tide reached 1.94 metres. Tuesday’s high tide left tables and chairs floating along the alleyway, while locals and tourists hastily took shelter. On the other hand, water taxis attempted to help stranded passengers through windows of the hotels.
While emergency services surveyed the damage in the canals, it was reported that a 78-year old local had been killed by electric shock as the waters poured into his home.
Significantly, the most affected area is St. Mark’s Square as it is located in one of the lowest parts of the city. It is important to note that the vestibule of the basilica is also inundated. Therefore, the authorities have decided to watch the building.
Since 2003, an infrastructure project to protect the city was initiated, but it has been delayed due to scandals and cost overruns.
Above all, Venice is not the only city to encounter cataclysmic weather. Powerful rainstorms swept through other cities of Italy on Tuesday. As a result, schools have been shut down in several southern cities including Taranto, Brindisi, and Matera. Furthermore, schools in Sicilian cities of Pozzallo and Noto have also been closed.
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