Venice's Famous Gondolas Trapped in the Mud Amid Historic Low Tides — See Photos
Luigi Costantini/AP/Shutterstock Venice, Italy
Venice's famous gondolas have been left stuck in the mud amid historic low tides in the Italian city.
The waterways in the capital of northern Italy's Veneto region have been left nearly empty, cutting off access for water ambulances, water taxis and deliveries, according to The Times.
The low tides had been suggested to be due to a lack of rain and snow, but the BBC reports they can more accurately be attributed to a number of factors including a high pressure system, a full moon and sea currents.
"Our low tide has nothing to do with the drought affecting lakes and rivers," said Alvise Papa, head of the tides office at Venice City Council, according to The Times. "It is caused by a stationary anticyclone with high pressure that prevents the entry of storm systems into the Mediterranean, halting precipitation and amplifying the low tide."
Papa added that low tides were regularly seen in January and February in the city, which is usually concerned with flooding, "but in the last 16 years it has never been as prolonged as this".
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MARCO SABADIN/AFP via Getty Venice, Italy
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Paolo Rossi, the head of emergency health services, spoke of the difficultly water ambulances and services have been facing. "Our operators are often forced to stop their craft at a distance and to proceed on foot, in many cases transporting patients by hand," he said, per The Times. "We guarantee every intervention, but we are doing it with an added burden of difficulty."
Last weekend, tidal measurements in Venice — home of the Venice International Film Festival — were reportedly more than half a meter (about 1.6 feet) below their normal levels, according to the outlet. Papa said officials are expecting the situation to improve over the next few days as heavy rain is due in the city.
MARCO SABADIN/AFP via Getty Venice, Italy
CNN reports that the dry winter has raised concerns that the country could face another drought after a state of emergency was declared last summer in areas surrounding Italy's longest river, the Po. The drought is estimated to have cost the agriculture sector about €6 billion (or $6.4 billion) in lost production.
The river, which is in the north of the country, reportedly has 61% less water than usual at this time of year, according to the BBC.
Venice, a city built atop more than 100 islands, is most commonly associated with the opposite problem: too much water.
The city is often said to be sinking and, according to a European Geosciences Union study cited by the BBC, is at risk of being consumed by the sea by the year 2100 if officials don't find a resolution.
Venice recently elected to ban massive cruise ships from its waterways in an effort to prevent large waves caused by their wakes from battering its historic buildings.
