Venice was placed under red alert – the highest weather alert – this week, due to record levels of flooding in the northern city.
Most tourist attractions were closed on Monday and Tuesday and people wading around in thigh-high water were refused access to famous sites such as St Mark’s Square as the “acqua alta” (high tide) climbed to 156 centimetres, the fourth-highest level reached in the city’s history.
Public transport services were disrupted, leaving many stranded, while the city’s schools and hospitals were ordered closed and officials advised locals not to leave their homes unless absolutely necessary.
Venice frequently floods when high winds push in water from the lagoon, but Monday’s levels were extraordinary, with the peak water level the highest since December 2008, according to local statistics.
Venice Mayor Luigi Brugnaro said a series of underwater floodgates that has been under construction for years in the lagoon would have prevented the flooding.
Brugnaro claimed the multibillion-dollar system, dubbed the Moses Project, remains unfinished due to cost overruns and corruption scandals.
The mayor said he had asked to speak with Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte to highlight the urgency of the project, which would raise floodgates when the tide reaches 109 centimetres.
