Venice sea levels at 14yr low
2008-02-20 12:02
Venice - Sea levels in the lagoon
city of Venice plunged to a 14-year low this week, beaching some
gondolas and exposing the canal-beds of famed waterways.
The Centro Maree, whose forecasts are vital for organising
transport in Venice, said a high-pressure system set off a "Code
White" alert that signals low sea levels.
Canals slipped on Monday to 80cm below average sea level, the lowest since 1994, and remained at
"Code White" levels on Tuesday. The lowest level recorded was 92cm below in 1989.
"The forecasts have to be as accurate as possible because
you can't go down certain canals (at extremely low levels), so
ambulance services need to be informed, the firemen need to be
informed," said Franca Pastore at the Centro Maree.
Venetians, long accustomed to floods and dry spells, were
taking the swing in sea levels in their stride.
A gondola association said their business was still
prospering, since only a tiny fraction of the city's canals were
off limits.
Being beached is hardly a top worry for Venetians. Instead,
they are building a more than a multi-billion euro underwater
dam system to save them from future floods that threaten the
city's survival.
Centro Maree said the low water levels were expected to
persist throughout midweek before returning to normal.