Venice was flooded by an exceptional high tide Monday, putting three-quarters of the famed Italian lagoon city under water as large swathes of the rest of Italy experienced inundating and heavy winds that toppled trees and other objects and six people have been killed in different places.
Tourists and residents of Venice donned high boots to navigate the city’s streets, after strong winds exceeded the water level more than 1.5 metres before receding.
“All of Veneto is in code red alarm for this wave of bad weather,” said Luca Zaia, the regional president, warning that conditions could match historic flood levels of 1966 when the water reached 1.9 metres.
Officials of transport closed the water bus system except to outlying islands because of the emergency.
Venice’s Mayor Luigi Brugnaro said a series of underwater barriers currently being built in the lagoon would have prevented the inundation.
Major tourist attractions have been closed in Rome, including the Colosseum and Roman Forum, early due to heavy rains. Veneto regional governor, Luca Zaia, says flooding this week could reach the levels of the 1966 flood which struck Venice and Florence. On Instagram he wrote that he closed schools in the region for a second day on Tuesday.
> Shiuly Rina
Exceptional High Tide Floods Three-Quarters of Venice
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