High Tide Wallops Venice
for 2nd Straight Day
Associated Press
December 2, 2008
VENICE, Italy
(AP) Strong southern winds pushed
the Adriatic Sea into Venice again Tuesday, submerging parts of the lagoon city
a day after an unusually high tide caused the worst flooding in 20 years.
Tuesday's tidal surge peaked at 3 feet, 4 inches (102
centimeters), well below Monday's 5
foot, 1-inch level (156 centimeters), which marked the fourth highest tide in
the city's recorded history and the
worst since 1986.
Still, the water
Tuesday was high enough to flood the city's
landmark St. Mark's Square and other
low-lying areas.
Tourists and
locals waded through the historic piazza with high boots as alarms warned of
the latest bout of "acqua alta." At least one person decided to enjoy the
flooded square, zipping about with a kite-surf until police stepped in to end
his fun.
Most locals were
not amused by the sea's return.
"Today is
going a little bit better, but yesterday it was a disaster," said jeweler
Adriano Cavassoni as he checked the water flowing in
front of his shop's doorstep.
On Monday, the
knee-high water invaded shops, damaged merchandise, idled transportation
including the city's public water
buses and led to some power cuts. Most Venetians were surprised because
authorities didn't initially
forecast such a high tide level, but no damage to the city's artistic treasures was reported.
The ANSA news
agency reported that Venice
was planning to spend euro1 million ($1.27 million) to pay for the damages left
by the flood. City officials said authorities and shopkeepers would discuss the
issue at a meeting Thursday.
Strong southern
winds have been driving the sea into Venice's lagoon, causing the unusually high tides.
Forecasters said the tides are expected to subside in the next few days as the
weather improves.
While many tourists
gladly splashed around the city, some hoteliers feared that the images of
Monday's high tide would scare away
visitors.
"We've been flooded with calls from people who want to
cancel their reservation because they think Venice is under water," said Giuseppe Mazzarella, a receptionist at the Hotel Monaco & Grand
Canal. "We reassured them that it's
all over ... and even if it happens again, it's
quite fun for tourists."
Venice is building a system of
movable barriers that would rise from the seabed to ease the effect of high
tides, but the $5.5 billion project won't
be completed until 2010 at the earliest.
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