Venice - One can not say that the Venetians were not prepared for the annual floods in their city. Already in late Holzpanelen are for the bridge structures that allow residents and tourists with the low-lying urban areas such as Mark's Square can achieve - if the alarm for Acqua Alta is. But the flood, which on Monday flooded the lagoon city, exceeds all fears.
Already in the morning almost all the roads were under water, tourists and residents fought over the gangways through the city and through the knee-deep water on St. Mark's Square. Venice authorities warned against a record flood: "This is extraordinary flood," said the Venetian Mayor Massimo Cacciari. The residents should be possible to stay in their homes. Since the morning warned the authorities with sirens, speakers and by SMS before the rising water. Difficult the situation was exacerbated by a strike of the vaporettos, the famous water buses. But the engine taxis have their operation.
Photo: APVideo: ReutersDas flood, the record level of 156 centimeters above sea level was reached and the worst since more than 20 years, Italian media reported on Monday. By the strong rains and winds caused the water level is fourth highest since 1986, when the Acqua Alta on the mark of 158 centimeters rose. The flood center had previously expected that the sea level on up to 160 centimeters and thus increase the highest level for almost 30 years would reach. But then luck turned to the wind and stopped so that further increases.
"This is the zehntschlimmste tide of the last 100 years," said the president of the Veneto region, Giancarlo Galan. "And the competent marine institute knew in the morning yet, which is only two hours later would play here," he criticized the flood predictions unreliable.
Sustained south wind, and days-long heavy rain and snowfalls in northern Italy contributed, according to experts on the unusually high increase of water on Monday when. They assumed that the water until early evening completely from the streets would be abgeflossen. For the early Tuesday said they then another increase of around one meter before.
Previous record stand was on 4th November 1966, when the floods reached 194 centimeters. Then very suffered devastating floods in Italy.
Mose project to protect Venice
Venice, the only one meter above sea level, is known for its frequent floods known, often involving the whole of Mark's Square under water. Climate change could worsen the problem, fearing Italian researchers has been a long time. The sea was already about 24 centimeters higher than they were 100 years ago and the water is currently growing by an average of three millimeters per year.
In addition, falling on piles lagoon city built slowly. There have in recent years increasingly frequent floods, where: While in 1925 only seven times Acqua Alta registered, be it in recent years, both well over 50 times been.
To protect the city of Venice built for three years billions expensive lock system at the port entrances. Since late 2004, the Moses Project (modulo sperimentale elettromeccanico) with 79 sluice gates on the lagoon floor built, which should be completed in 2014. The gates to a flood from 110 centimeters above the normal level by air will be raised.
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