Barriers save Venice from tide

VENICE: A flood barrier has protected Venice from a high tide for a second time, rising up from the lagoon floor yesterday as strong winds started to push water into the city.

The system of 78 floodgates, known as Mose, saved Venice from a tide that officials had predicted would reach 135cm. At that level, roughly half the city would be under water. The local tidal authority said the tide rose as high as 141cm in areas not protected by Mose, while in Venice it was just 52cm, leaving the squares and alleyways clear.

Rising sea levels and high tides have pushed down the city level. Of the 23 tides recorded above the 140cm level, 14 have occurred in the last two decades. Mose can protect from tides of up to 3m.