Flooding in Venice

I hope they get the Flood Controls working as soon as possible. Venice is my favorite city to visit.

This post and the article really made me want to cry.

i never realized how often it flooded. i'm going in may and i hope i don't run into any floods

qwhacker - be wary of the smell in May, but flooding should not be a problem

So 50" in 2008 is global warmings fault, but a 72" flood in 1966 is just normal weather?

Coyote, it's at 60" now (not 50")
they are claiming what was an outlier in 1966, isn't as much of an outlier in 2008's environment

Sorry to offend, but I always kind of liked the swimming pool city idea.

@belled27 - i live in a house with 4 other male roommates... the smell shouldn't be a problem :P

As soon as I started reading this story, I KNEW this flooding would be blamed on "Global Warming," and I was right! The simple fact is that venice was built in a poor location - swampy islands right at sea level. It has flooded thousands of times over its history. The city is sinking due to old (now stopped) method of pumping groundwater out from under it. This, coupled with NATURALLY OCCURRING weather patterns, and shifting levels in the adriatic seas, are the most likely cause, not sensationalistic claims of 'global warming.' Such flippant talk makes me sick. See this article for more info:
http://web.mit.edu/newsoffice/2002/venice-1106.html

While the article also talks about rising sea levels, it doesn't glibly attribute them to global warming. Here's the money quote:

"The increased flooding is caused by two things: the city is sinking and sea level is rising.

After World War II, water needed by new industry was obtained by pumping groundwater from nearby areas. As the water table decreased, the islands began sinking. The practice of pumping groundwater was stopped shortly after the devastating flood of 1966, and the city is now sinking at the much lower rate of 0.4mm per year.

At the same time, the Adriatic Sea and other ocean waters have been rising at the rate of 1.6mm per year, PERHAPS DUE TO NATURAL CAUSES [emphasis added]. "It could be the ubiquitous sea level rise that occurs around the world and has been going on fairly consistently since the last glacial period," said Bras. "You can debate whether it is accelerating or not, but so far I see no evidence of acceleration."

I never understood why people are shocked about flooding in Venice and New Orleans.

How come when Venice floods, it Global Warming to blame but NYC, Miami, Galveston, London, and other cities sit at only inches above sea level and they only flood when an extraordinary event i.e. hurricane and 5 to 10 inches of sudden rain fall. So my question is "If we all know from elementary school science classes that water seeks its own level, then how come the melting ice cap from global warming isn't causing the water level to rise uniformly." I listened to a joker the other night discussing how global warming and he gave all these scary details about Miami, Galveston, New Orleans, London, etc. flooding due to global warming. What was strange he never once mentioned New York -- that's where he lives--I've been to NYC like most people and I tell you that the ocean is right there--only a few feet below where you stand in Battery Park......

Just to specify and be precise, Venice suffers from high tides, but it not like a flood, water arrives and goes away in few hours, the venetians are used to it and are organized for that. The last relevant event of high tide in any case, was the greatest of the last 22 years, and the picture above is taken from St. Mark's Square the lowest part of the city.

I don't say is nothing, but it is not such a devastating event that journals and media are trying to make people belive!

A venetian

Hola, alguien sabe como esta actualmente venecia? voy para alla mediados de enero, y queria saber con que me voy a encotnrar, si sera visitable. Y es mi primera vez
Gracias

Susana, hate to burst your bubble, but no one knows what you're saying.

Hiya i will be visting Venice in the summer holidays next year i just hope there won't be flooding