Venice Is Copping Its Worst Flooding In 50 Years & Its Mayor Has Blamed Climate Change

Venice has been swamped with seawater after a phenomenally high tide, damaging beloved landmarks and renewing concerns about the threat of climate change.

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The New York Times reports the Italian city was hit by acqua alta event literally “high water” – on Tuesday, with floodwater rising roughly 180cm.

One man has died as a result of the floods. The NYT reports the resident of Pellestrina, an island in the Venetian lagoon, was electrocuted while pumping water from his home.

The flood has been described as the worst since water levels reached 194cm in 1966. Images from St Mark’s Square show tourists wading in knee-high water, while the crypt of St Mark’s Basilica was submerged for the sixth time in a millennium.

Footage posted to Instagram by Luca Zaia, president of the Veneto region, shows the flooding in the historic crypt.

In a tweet, Venice mayor Luigi Brugnaro said “Venice is on its knees,” saying the city needed support “to overcome these days that are putting us to the test.”

He added “these are the effects of climate change,” clearly linking the low-lying city’s troubles to rising sea levels and extreme weather conditions.

BBC meteorologist Nikki Berry said that although this acqua alta event is the worst in 50 years, five of the top ten worst tides have occurred in the past two decades.

Berry said it was too early to pin the disaster on any one cause – after all, Venice is one of many cities worldwide which is also sinking – but said changing climate could negatively impact weather systems in the region, causing more damage in the future.

The exact economic impact of the flooding is unknown, but Brugnaro said the city is facing millions of euros in damages. Brugnaro also suggested a long-delayed floodgate system could have mitigated the disaster. Whether that technology is installed before the next extraordinary acqua alta hits the city is yet to be seen.

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