Venice Mayor Blames Climate Change for Record High Tide and Flooding

The mayor of Venice said that he would declare a state of emergency as the second highest tide ever recorded hit the Italian city following heavy rains.

The tide reached 187 centimeters and will have a lasting impact on the city, Mayor Luigi Brugnaro said. “These are the effects of climate change,” he said in a Twitter post.

Brugnaro called the situation “dramatic,” posting videos and photos of high tides lifting boats onto land and flooding landmarks. There were several images showing St. Mark’s Square submerged in water and people wading through the streets in knee-deep water.

A 2017 report by the Italian National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development warned that Venice will be underwater within a century if climate change isn’t slowed and adequate defenses aren’t put in place.

The official Twitter account of the City of Venice, public transport company Azienda Veneziana della Mobilita SpA and members of the public were using the Italian hashtag #acquaalta to post updates about the situation on social media. “Acqua alta” translates to high waters in English.

The incident is the latest in a slew of environmental disasters to occur as evidence of climate change shows up around the world. Earlier this week, more than 70 fires raged across New South Wales in Australia, damaging property and killing people.

--With assistance from Cormac Mullen.

©2019 Bloomberg L.P.

This article was written by Max Zimmerman and Melissa Cheok from Bloomberg and was legally licensed through the NewsCred publisher network. Please direct all licensing questions to legal@newscred.com.

Skift’s in-depth reporting on climate issues is made possible through the financial support of Intrepid Travel. This backing allows Skift to bring you high-quality journalism on one of the most important topics facing our planet today. Intrepid is not involved in any decisions made by Skift’s editorial team.