The water of the Grand Canal of Venice, near the Rialto Bridge, has been dyed this Sunday of fluorescent green, a tracer liquid that is used to understand the path that the water follows, while the origin and reasons of what happened are still unknown.

The bright green spot appeared on the canal that connects Campo San Luca with the Grand Canal and gradually spread to the rest of the Venetian canals after the start of the Vogalonga, a regatta that has been held since 1974 and that was born as a demonstration to protect the Italian city.

The police reported in a note that "after the first investigations, carried out by the firefighters, together with the local police of Venice and the regional agency for the prevention and protection of the environment of the Veneto region (ARPAV), the substance seems to be a tracer, that is, a liquid that is injected in those circumstances in which a water leak occurs in order to know the path followed. " and which is also used in caving.

While investigations continue, it has been ensured that the liquid is not toxic and there is no danger to the health of the inhabitants.

The delegate of the Government of Venice, Michele de Bari, organized an emergency coordination meeting in order to determine the causes and the consequent measures to be adopted" and "pending the evolution of events it has been ordered to intensify surveillance in the lagoon area to control any critical situation and prevent new similar episodes".

Tomorrow, the note concludes, "the Government delegate will hold a new meeting, also in relation to the evolution of the situation."

Italian media noted that this episode recalls the initiative of Argentine artist Nicolás García Uriburu, who died in 2016 at age 79, who in 1968 had poured a fluorescent green liquid into the Grand Canal to protest against water pollution.

At the moment no movement has claimed this action and also denied its involvement the ecological activists of "Last generation", who in recent days threw black paint into the water of the Trevi Fountain in Rome and other buildings and works of art to protest against the lack of attention to climate change.

  • Italy

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