Venice dawns frightened by historic high tide

Residents of Venice woke up startled on Wednesday after a historic "acqua alta" (high tide) that caused significant damage. Authorities have announced similar episodes in the coming days.

The situation is dramatic, the weather is worrying us and the population is suffering," said Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte as he arrived in Venice during one of the worst emergencies suffered by this world heritage site.

“We have suffered damage worth hundreds of millions of euros,” lamented the mayor of Venice, Luigi Brugnaro.

He also announced that he will call for the establishment of a state of natural disaster.

"An apocalyptic disaster, we are preparing for new episodes," said Veneto Governor Luca Zaia, who estimates that about 80 percent of the city has been underwater.

A tidal wave of exceptional magnitude 1.87 meters struck the Dogos town on Tuesday night, surprising tourists as they roamed the flooded streets as a mighty Sirocco (wind) threw waves at St. Mark's Square.

This is the second most important “Acqua alta” recorded in Venice since 1923, after the 4th of November 1966 (1.94 meter).

The high tide caused the death, according to Italian media, of a 78-year-old Venetian who was electrocuted while trying to light electric lamps in his flooded home.

Tide levels have dropped to 1.10 meters on Wednesday morning, but other episodes are announced until Friday, at a rate of two tides a day, according to the Venice Tidal Center.

Authorities have decreed the closure of all schools, as well as several museums, while La Fenice theater has temporarily suspended its rehearsals and performances.

The city began to assess the damage: the famous St. Mark's Basilica, flooded by a meter of water and the crypt and the rectory completely covered with water the night before.

According to the monument's administrator, Pierpaolo Campostrini, a flood like Tuesday's occurred only five times in the history of the basilica, erected in 828 and rebuilt after a fire in 1063.

The most worrying fact is that of the five incidents, three occurred in the last 20 years, one in 2018.

"These are the effects of climate change," Mayor Brugnaro lamented in his Twitter account after touring the city.

-Driving gondolas-

"It was apocalyptic," Marina Vector told AFP TV, while she and her husband used buckets to remove water from their Venetian mask shop.

"The storm was so strong that the water crossed the marble barrier (in front of the store), nothing could resist," said the merchant.

"I live on the second floor, but I went to help some friends who live downstairs and had to raise a washing machine," Venetian Mario told AFP TV.

Television images on Wednesday showed dozens of boats that had broken their moorings and were drifting.

Many gondolas were also dragged by the waters and canals.