Venice (AFP)

The level of weather warning was slightly down Saturday in Venice, still flooded and placed under emergency conditions the day after a new high tide that devastated the fragile lake.

Italian civilian protection downgraded the warning level from "red" to "orange" on Saturday, although the risk of tides and strong winds was not ruled out. Friday, the "acqua alta", or high tide has reached 1.54 meters and leads to the closure for several hours of the iconic Saint Mark's Square.

Tuesday night, Venice had its worst high tide in 53 years (1.87 m, the second historic record behind that of November 4, 1966 (1.94 m).) Water has invaded churches, shops, museums and hotels of this world heritage jewel.

Like many cultural institutions, the Guggenheim Museum planned to reopen Friday but changed its mind "due to worsening weather conditions".

Most ATMs were out of use Saturday in the city.

- First cancellations -

"It's shocking to see this, to have water up to your knees," said Oscar Calzada, a 19-year-old Mexican tourist.

The Italian Minister of Culture, Dario Franceschini, came Friday to note the damage, believes that the repair work will be considerable. More than 50 churches were damaged, he noted.

"All the underground reserves are lost!" Lamented Luciano, a resident of Venice and an employee of a St. Mark's Square shop.

Venice receives 36 million tourists a year, 90% of whom are foreigners.

Hotels, including Locanda Al Leon, are starting to regret cancellations for the end of year celebrations.

The mayor of Venice announced Friday the opening of a bank account for all those who, in Italy and abroad, wish to contribute to the repairs. "Venice, a unique place, is everyone's legacy, and with your help, Venice will shine again," he wrote in a statement.

"It would be a sin not to see these places anymore, I think everyone should put their hand in their pockets," Nicole Righetti, an Italian tourist told AFP.

Diana Ramirez, a Colombian living in the United States, is also a supporter of solidarity: "It will cost a lot of money in Venice, it is not a bad thing to ask foreign tourists if they can help."

Thursday evening, the government of Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte had approved the establishment of the state of emergency in Venice and announced the release of 20 million euros "for the most urgent interventions".

This state of emergency procedure, often used in an Italy regularly hit by disasters (earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and landslides), endows the government with "exceptional powers and means".

- "Tropicalization" of the weather -

The Serenissima, built on 118 islands and islets mostly artificial and on stilts, is threatened with engulfment. It has sunk 30 centimeters into the Adriatic Sea in a century.

For Environment Minister Sergio Costa, the fragility of Venice has increased due to the "tropicalisation" of the weather, with intense rainfall and strong gusts of wind, linked to global warming.

Ecologists also point to the expansion of the large industrial port of Marghera, located opposite Venice, and the parade of giant cruise ships.

The "acqua alta" record Tuesday overwhelmed 80% of the city, caused the death of a septuagenarian and overturned gondolas and vaporetti (public transport boats).

Many officials, including the mayor of Venice, called for the "MOSE dike project" (Moses in Italian, acronym for Experimental Electromechanical Module) to be commissioned "as soon as possible".

© 2019 AFP