See Venice and dive
Tourist hotspot swamped by tide
VENICE became one vast canal after high tides driven by strong winds overwhelmed flood defences.
Tourists arriving in the ancient city famed for its waterways and gondolas, found themselves wading through flooded streets and piazzas. The sea rose 5ft 3in in only a few hours triggering the most severe flooding in the city for more than a decade.
Many people were stranded after public transport was cancelled and power supplies were disrupted.
More than three quarters of the so-called “floating city” ended up submerged yesterday. In 2017 the Italian Academy of Geology warned rising sea levels caused by climate change could sink Venice below the waves in as little as 80 years’ time.
Across Italy, 10 people died in storms as experts warned global warming could lead to more extreme weather. Weather
forecaster Matteo Ricci said: “Venice is used to flooding but not like this. Across Europe, we have seen extreme weather.
“The cause is simple - rising temperatures caused by climate change and it will kill Venice if we do nothing.”
THE floods swamping Venice were caused by floods and high winds… and those are made more likely by rising temperatures.
Some try to ignore the overwhelming evidence, but we continue to heat up this beautiful world at our peril.
We must all embrace greener lifestyles. That doesn’t mean never driving or flying or turning the heating on, but it does mean using cleaner energy more efficiently.
The alternative doesn’t bear thinking about.