Venice canals and lagoons overflow, leaving the city flooded

Venice canals and lagoons overflow, leaving the city flooded

This week, the streets of Venice have been left flooded with salt water due to severe weather and a noticeable lack of adequate flood barriers.

According to fortune.com, the “floating city” has experienced the worst flooding in a decade, after high tides and gusts of wind on Monday and Tuesday left the canals of Venice overflowing – and it’s streets filled with salt water.

In the past few days, at least 11 people have died across the country as a result of the severe weather. Tides reached 1.5 metres above sea level, and consequently, 70 per cent of Venice was submerged.

Around half of Italy has been directly impacted: almost 6000 firefighters have been called to over 7000 emergency rescue calls, fortune.com reported.

And according to the Australian Financial Review, locals are worried about the salt water eating its way through the city’s restaurants and landmarks – as the brickwork is already corroding due to constant water infiltration.

City officials have been planning to construct some serious flood barriers for decades now, but have been held back by fraud and corruption.

In 2014, Venice’s then-mayor Giorgio Orsoni was arrested for corruption, illicit part financing and tax fraud, among other charges. He was also accused of taking over $600,000 in illicit campaign financing from the flood barrier consortium.

The flood barriers construction began in 2004, and once completed, will protect the majority of Venice from severe flooding for the next 30 years, according to fortune.com.

Latest News

  • Destinations
  • News

APT Launches 2025 Asia Adventures

APT has launched its Asia Adventures for 2025, including new luxury holidays in India, Sri Lanka and Japan. Five new tours lead guests to the highlights of India, including a seven-night cruise along the rarely travelled Lower Ganges aboard the Ganges Voyager. Further south, Sri Lanka’s greatest destinations are revealed on a new 15-day Land […]

  • Cruise
  • Luxury
  • News

Seabourn announces Western Kimberley Traditional Owners as Godparents of Seabourn Pursuit

Seabourn has named Western Kimberley Traditional Owners, the Wunambal Gaambera, as Godparents of the ultra-luxury purpose-built Seabourn Pursuit. It is the first cruise line to appoint Traditional Owners as godparents of a ship. Seabourn Pursuit embarks on its inaugural season in the Kimberley region this June. The naming ceremony will take place on Seabourn Pursuit’s […]

  • Luxury

Malolo Island Resort opens brand new Spa

Fiji’s Malolo Island has added another string to its bow – opening its $1.3 million day spa on Thursday, 18th April 2024. (Lead Image: matriarch Rosie Whitton with spa staff) Located at the edge of the resort’s luscious patch of tropical rainforest, the new “Leilani’s Spa” adds another level of elevated experiences to Malolo’s already […]