Waist-high waders in wet Venice
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Reeling from devastating floods this week, Venice suffered another exceptional high tide yesterday, with the water peaking at 150 centimeters, marking the worst week for the city since official tide statistics began in 1872.
Water flooded St Mark鈥檚 Square and hundreds of voluntary workers were helping citizens cope with the emergency.
The city beloved around the world for its canals, historic architecture and art, was hit by a high tide of 187 centimeters on Tuesday. That was just short of the record 194 centimeters in 1966 and caused the city鈥檚 worst flooding in 50 years.
In normal conditions, tides of 80-90 centimeters are generally seen as high but manageable.
City officials shut down St Mark鈥檚 Square, removing elevated walkways and turning back curious onlookers. Tourists with scheduled departures rushed to grab the last water taxis to get to the mainland yesterday before service was interrupted in anticipation of the high tide.
The city鈥檚 mayor has put the flooding damage at hundreds of millions of euros and Italian officials have declared a state of emergency for the area.
But tourists continued to arrive, despite the prospects of another day of surging water. Knee-high boots became too short to keep dry and some people who didn鈥檛 have fisherman鈥檚 hip waders resorted to tying plastic garbage bags high up on their legs.
Luca D鈥橝cunto and his girlfriend surveyed the rising water from a bridge, wondering how to make their way to their nearby hotel. They both wore colorful disposable rubber boots, but they came up only up to their knees.
鈥淲e made the reservation this week before the floods and had paid already, so we came,鈥 said D鈥橝cunto, a 28-year-old from Naples. 鈥淚nstead of a romantic trip, we鈥檒l have an adventurous one.鈥
As the tide nudged up to above 1.32 meters, the doors on St Mark鈥檚 Basilica, which has been damaged by the relentless flooding, remained securely shut. The Venetian newspaper, Il Gazzettino, reported that sandbags had been placed in the windows of the crypt to prevent water from flooding in again.
Most museums were closed as a precaution but the Correr Museum, which overlooks St Mark鈥檚 Square and explores the art and history of Venice, remained open.
Venetian volunteers wearing rubber boots have also shown up at key sites, including the city鈥檚 Music Conservatory, to help save precious manuscripts from the invading saltwater.
Officials said 280 civil volunteers were deployed.
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