Venice is hit by serious flooding

[malaise]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7758204.stm
<snip>
Venice has been hit by the biggest flood in more than 20 years, with waters rising 1.56m (5ft) above normal.

Many of Venice's streets, including the famous St Mark's Square, were submerged, before the high waters began to retreat.

The lagoon city in the Adriatic suffers some level of flooding for about 200 days every year.

The authorities are planning to complete the building of an underwater dam to protect the city by 2011.

Mayor's warning

Driven by strong winds, the sea level rose to 1.56m above normal on Monday, submerging nearly all of the city, including St Mark's Square, officials said.

It was the highest "acqua alta", or high water, since it reached 1.58m in 1986.

[file83]

1. Wow - I thought they already had ways of preventing this - I was wrong.

That is such a potential disaster waiting to happen.

[mnhtnbb]

2. OMG! We are thinking about making a trip to Venice (and Florence) next year.

[onethatcares]

3. go in the winter

the canals don't smell as bad. Venice was really a cool place to wander around, but when it gets dark, the alleyways can be spooky. Oh, and don't give the beggars at the Trieste fountain anything, they are already rich.