The week is almost over, and for Venice has been one of the longest and most difficult ever.
Probably, all of you already heard the news, which have been spreading worldwide in these days: Venice has been seriously hit by one of the highest tide in the last 50 years, generating huge problems and difficulties to Venetians, retailers, tourists, students and every one who is now living the catastrophe.
The state of emergency has been proclaimed and authorities are talking about an apocalyptic scenery.
The most difficult moment took development in the night between Tuesday and Wednesday: a high level of water was already awaited, but the forecast considerably got worse around 10pm, when a wild wind started to blow, pushing the tide to anomalous and exceptional levels: 187 cm have been reached, the highest second level of water in history.
The sad first place is about 194 cm, verified in 1966.
The day after, Venice was brought to their knees: the combined strength of wind and water had damaged boats and raised them up on the shore; walls and barriers had been destroyed; countless damages had been quantified to houses, buildings and shops, which found their structures inundated (the water had even gushed from electrical sockets and toilet bowls) and Saint Mark’s Basilique, its floors and precious mosaics are now in danger, because water had reached the crypt.
Schools and the university are closed and also the celebrated proclamation of graduation has been cancelled.
Venice is helpless.
It’s so heartbroken to see the most wonderful city in the world so destroyed and vulnerable, even if it is obvious that, for years, high water have always been a problem or even a characteristic feature of the island.
However, this time is different: Venice is the victim of major problems, which could be identified in the climate change and innumerable discussions around protective system that are supposed to reduce the water impact, and which construction is either slow and controversial.
Post by Elisa Gentile