• Exceptional tide in Venice, emergency in Calabria and Puglia
  • High water. Marco Marchesini's service from Venice

Share

November 13, 2019Venice this time risked sinking, under high water that with the sirocco wind at 100 kilometers per hour touched the threshold of 190 centimeters on the middle sea. The peak, at 22.50, was one meter and 87. It is the second measure in the history of the Serenissima, just behind the record of 194 centimeters in 1966.







#Acquaalta, #Venice a step away from collapse. All the historical center flooded. Electric blackouts. Suspended water transport. Mayor Brugnaro to the Venetians: "Stay at home". #IoSeguoTgr @TgrRai @RaiNews https://t.co/16b21ucofS

- Tgr Rai Veneto (@TgrVeneto) November 12, 2019

The damage in the city is serious. Gondolas and boats torn from the moorings and pushed to the shores, three sunken steamers, other boats adrift. There is also a victim, a 78-year-old man who was electrocuted in the island of Pellestrina, due to a short circuit, while the tide was entering his house. There is great concern for the Basilica of San Marco, whose damage will have to be assessed when the water is completely withdrawn. The crypt, the municipal police said, was completely submerged. At the time of the peak, in the Basilica one meter and 10 of water were measured. The entire historic center has been flooded, because on these levels there are no walkways or gates to hold.

"This is a disaster, this time the damage will have to be counted," said mayor Luigi Brugnaro, while on the boat he carried out an inspection in the Marcian area. "We are facing a more than exceptional tide - Brugnaro added in a tweet - We are all mobilized to manage the emergency". The damage will be counted today, but yesterday's tide, which brings the Venice 'case' back to the eyes of the world, also raises the theme of the Mose, the colossal system of mobile barriers against high water that is still waiting to be completed, and leaves Venice at the mercy of natural disasters like this one.

At 12.00 press conference with @zaiapresidente and Angelo Borelli @DPCgov
We will ask for a state of crisis. Citizens and businesses collect material useful for demonstrating damage suffered. In the next few days we will communicate how to request a contribution
Info: https://t.co/SzLWTGi5XM pic.twitter.com/NDXsFLo34R

- Luigi Brugnaro (@LuigiBrugnaro) November 13, 2019

All schools in Venice and the islands today will remain closed. The mayor has announced that he will request a state of natural disaster for the city. The governor of Veneto, Luca Zaia, has activated the crisis unit of the Civil Protection. Serious repercussions on the entire lagoon are feared, while alarm conditions have been reported on the entire Veneto coast and, due to heavy rain, the situations of the rivers, in particular the Piave, are of concern. Today the head of civil protection, Angelo Borrelli, will arrive at the regional operations room in Marghera.