See shocking photos of Venice during the flood
Last year, Venice experienced the worst floods the city had seen in at least a decade. And this week, the annual high tides known as acqua alta once again turned deadly.
With floodwaters rising more than six feet — higher than at any other time since 1966 — the city has endured significant damage. Venice mayor Luigi Brugnaro declared a state of emergency and said the city was "on its knees," The New York Times reported.
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Water filled shops and restaurants, and flooded palazzos and hotel lobbies. Vaporetti sank. Saint Mark's Basilica, the Ca' Pesaro modern art gallery and La Fenice theater all sustained damage. The cost of the flood, Mayor Brugnaro said, could be in the millions of euros.
TPG asked readers who are currently in — or recently traveled to — Venice to share their experiences. And the photos and video clips tell a disturbing tale of seasonal high tides exacerbated by strong winds and accelerating climate change.
Alberto P., a TPG reader who lives in Trieste but works in Venice, said "all the coastline from Venice to Trieste, up to Koper in Slovenia, suffered flooding The most critical situation has been registered in Venice," he said, citing the two reported deaths, the damage to the crypts of Saint Mark's Basilica and the countless damaged and sunken vaporetti.
The cruise port, he added, "is operating at a limited capacity."
Nina Y. said that during her recent trip to Venice, a lot of businesses had closed because of damage from the floods. And Valerie M. shared photos from six days ago that captured the severity of the flood.
Photos from all across Venice have been pouring in, and the images are truly shocking. Have you ever traveled to Venice during the acqua alta, or do you have plans to visit soon? Sound off in the comments below.
Feature photo by TPG reader Valerie Mingle
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