Venice canals dry up amidst severe low tides

Severe low tides in recent days are threatening the levels of Venice’s 150 canals, stranding water taxis and gondolas and complicating the city’s emergency services, which rely on ambulance boats.

While weather experts say the extraordinarily low water flows are not a direct result of the drought that has affected the region over the last several months, a lack of rain has exacerbated the tidal situation, with canal levels not expected to rise until at least on February 21, Bloomberg writes, citing the Centro Maree forecast centre.

Italy — like other European countries — is facing a new round of severe drought conditions after a dangerously dry summer led to a national emergency. Rivers like the Po and lakes including Lake Como have seen unusually low water levels, according to the Legambiente environmental group.

Tidal measurements in Venice last weekend were more than half a meter below their normal levels, with some locations entirely inaccessible to craft including ambulance boats for several hours.

Venice is more commonly known for its sometimes-damaging high tides, which have become more frequent in recent years. The worst tidal surge in more than 50 years occurred in 2019, causing an estimated €1 billion ($1.1 billion) in damage. The city subsequently began work on its MOSE anti-flooding project, which is expected to be completed by the end of 2023.