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| Situation Update No. 1 Ref.no.: FL-20091223-24282-ITA
Situation Update No. 1
On 2009-12-25 at 05:03:48 [UTC]
Event: Flood
Location: Italy Veneto Region Venice Situation: An exceptionally high tide has flooded most of the Italian lagoon city of Venice and the country's meterological office has predicted the flood water will reach a peak of 150cm late on Thursday. City authorities said that around 62 percent of Venice's streets and piazzas were under water. The northeastern Adriatic port city of Trieste was also hit by flooding and its central square was submerged. On Wednesday, the waters in Venice reached a peak of 144 centimetres above average sea level, forcing tourists and residents to wade through knee-high waters or use improvised, elevated boardwalks set up in St. Mark's Square and other landmarks. Cafe chairs and tables were submerged in water and some shops and ground-floor apartments were damaged by Wednesday's flood waters. Authorities in Venice had warned residents that they expected rising winds from the south to cause an exceptionally high tide leaving large parts of the historic city flooded. Venetians are largely used to the so-called "acqua alta" (high water) phenomenon. Elsewhere in Italy snowfall in recent days wrought havoc on traffic in Milan, Italy's financial capital, and elsewhere in the north of the country. Over 80 people have died in icy weather that has gripped Europe this month, including two in Italy. A system of movable barriers that would rise from the sea bed to protect Venice from exceptionally high tides will not be operational before 2014. |  | | | |
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