Venice Flooding Is Worst in a Decade; Severe Weather in Italy Kills at Least 11

A few thoughts: I should note first that I wrote, in the mid 1970s, my college thesis about how to save Venice from sinking. At that time, it WAS sinking because the foundations of the city were corroded. A mostly successful job was done (based in part on my recommendations) so that the foundations were secured. Now there is a different problem: climate change has led to immense rises in water levels in oceans and seas and all of the damage we know and anticipate. Venice is a major victim of that too. Historically, the city has been subjected to "Acqua Alta" at certain times of the month (full moon/high tide) and year, especially in late October/early November. And again now. It is not accurate to say that Venice has been in decline for decades and centuries. It has evolved and, in some cases improved and in others (due to bad planning, corruption and greed) has suffered. Cruise ships that displace water are not good for the city. Mass tourism means hordes land but do not stay more than an afternoon. Commenter Sarah Baker makes good points: Italians are able, talented, passionate and have built and still have an extraordinary society. No nation is perfect but there are many reasons why millions of people go to Italy each year and admire its culture and contributions. I was in Venice 2 weeks ago. Once the tourists leave the city at night, it returns to its magical self. Right now, Italy does not have a figure who can lead a coherent, visionary plan to keep Venice viable.

Absolute greed and corruption and probably what the U.S. coastal cities are looking at in twenty years. The Dutch engineered their sea level threat centuries ago. And continued to throw more modern science at it as time progressed. A tragedy that could have been prevented.

We can wax poetic about Italy -- I lived in and loved much about Venice for 15 years, but let's also consider the issues with corruption. The Moses project was not completed because of corruption and people lining their projects with the funds meant to complete it.

It is always shocking to read commentary, as I have just read, showing how little Americans understand, Italy, and perhaps the rest of the world. If each American tourist would take the time to learn and think about the great Italian cities they would know that these cities have Univeristies, schools, and the teachers that inhabit them, art historians, forensic art conservators, curators, architects, mechanics, an opera house with musicians, singers, stagehands, set painters, artisans for restoration work, Doctor’s, hospitals , nurses, trauma specialists (did you see the new hospital with the heliport) This is only a partial list, there are also the people who serve you, while you troll these extraordinary places, they have children, mothers, fathers, sisters and brothers, who participate in their communities with pride, singing in choirs, plays sports, etc. It is arrogant beyond belief to call a beautiful ancient city an amusement park, or a tourist trap, or hyped, this shows ignorance, since Venice was not built for some 21st century American tourists expectation for their vacation.

Venice must be an awful place in which to live what with the perpetual wet dampness that breeds mold, Vermont and respiratory problems. Not to mention the periodic garbage strikes that occur. Better to live high in the mountains...

My family and I visited Venice three summers ago, staying in a 15th century palazzo via Vacation Rental by Owner (VRBO). It was August, height of tourist season, crowded in all the main tourist sections - Rialto Bridge, shopping areas, St. Mark's Square. I had been skeptical - was Venice really that special? I became a convert. Venice is like nowhere else on earth that I've been (not that I've been all that many places, but I've been to Bruges, referred to as the Venice of the North - another wonderful place but not as magical as Venice). And there were many places not inundated by tourists, such as the original Jewish ghetto and farther flung islands reached by bridges over the ubiquitous canals that form the city's transportation network. In the transportation network are signs about aqua alta - the city prepares for it. I worry about Venice, as I worry about New Orleans and Lower Manhattan and all coastal cities and towns, island nations like the Seychelles and Maldives. The rising waters threaten them. Apparently, though, this is what humankind wants. If we really didn't want this to happen, we'd do something about it. We can tell what we want by what we are doing. So if you want to visit Venice, go! You'll be entranced especially if you seek out the less-traveled parts of this glorious and unique city.

Question: What happened to the floodgates of the Moses Project? Answer: Italy's national debt is bigger than its GDP. Reducing the number of tourists and banning humongous cruise ships will not happen. Italy needs the revenue. Only when Italy leaves the Eurozone, and undergoes the ensuing depression, will Venice return to the gauzy version of distant romantic memories. But, then, they'll want the tourist revenue even more. And there will still be floods. Italy might have to commit to a new Rinascimento and raze most of the buildings that make people want to go to Italy in the first place. Then, the Italians will finally be left alone. That is unlikely but not impossible. It's up to them. And they are, in a word, "stufato" with tourists.

Venice is a preview. We now know that sea level will rise dramatically over the next 50 years. No Moses gates will save Venice, or Manhattan, or most of Florida’s coast, or New Orleans, or Puget Sound, or the SF Bay Area. Nothing we do to stop carbon emissions will stop the rising. Coastal flooding and loss of valuable property will happen. But that is not the fight we have on our hands. The fight is to stop much, much worse impacts from climate change: 80-100 feet of rise in sea level. That is the fight we can win, and that fight will save millions of lives and the geo-political conflicts that may destroy human society as we know it. We must, must, must acknowledge this existential threat now, and we must act. Put a price on carbon. Now.

A visit to Venice was on my bucket list. I was excited to finally reach this incredible destination just four weeks ago with a good friend. It was a magical experience and we had three days of glorious weather. There were lots of tourists (how could there NOT be lots of visitors to such an amazing destination? There is no other city in the world like it!) but the locals all seemed to be exceedingly tolerant of visitors and aware their local economy was dependent on tourism. We knew a few words of Italian, but almost everyone immediately spoke English to us once they knew we were visitors. The food was amazing; the locals were friendly and accommodating; the sites were literally stunning. It's almost impossible to take an uninteresting picture in Venice. It saddens me to see the city inundated with water. But I lived in New Orleans for eight years and the locals there (who also depend on tourism to stay solvent) always were aware they in a magical place that existed below sea level. By all means, go visit Italy. You will be rewarded many times over by the people, the food and wine, the art and the ambiance of an incredible place. But to miss a chance to see Venice because of too many tourists? Don't be foolish. Global warming most certainly will threaten coastal cities like Venice and New Orleans in the coming years. See them both while you still can. Loving and soon visiting both cities should make us all care about climate change.

I first visited Venice almost 40 years ago and my last visit was four years ago. Venice is no longer a living city but an amusement park for the tourists. It used to be that if you got away from the major piazzas you would find signs of actual residents (such as hardware stores) but now those stores are selling tourist junk made in China. Even the churches that used to suggest donations for their upkeep are now paid admittance only, marking their transition from houses of worship to tourist landmarks. The upshot is if you go to Venice know that it is now like Times Square in New York, a place that is no longer real but an attraction to separate you from your money as quickly and efficiently as any Disneyland.

I have been to Venice when it was bone dry. To be honest, it is one of the most hyped places in Italy. There are so many more beautiful places to visit in that great country and a great food to eat. Venice symbolizes what greed can get when greed has no limit. I don't know if folks remember that story of a four person or may be even two person Japanese tourist group - no less - who were charged 1,000 Euros or someyhing for pasta - and one bottle of wine. Folks - if you have not been there - don't go. Go Milano, Florence or even Udine - near Venice - a great country.

My wife and I experienced Venetian flooding back in 2003 - she had brought the wrong boots and mine had a leak, so we went to buy new boots at a tiny shop on the Rialto Bridge. We found a young man and (apparently) his father running the shop, six or eight people waiting to buy, and a huge pile of green rubber boots in the corner. When their turn came, each customer would sit down and take off his/her boots or shoes, the young man would just look at your stockinged feet -- no measuring -- and call out a number, and the older man would rummage around and pull that size from his boot pyramid. Our boots fit perfectly and so did everyone else's. They're wonderful souvenirs, mundane as they are, evocative of glorious Venice every time we wear them.

Some tourists decided to go for a swim in famed Saint Mark’s Square, in front of the city’s cathedral. Sounds like fun, but only if swimming in sewage is your bag.

Tell the Venetians that climate change is a Chinese hoax, Donnie, and they will laugh in your face.

It reminds me of the comment made by an American tourist in Venice a century ago: "What this place needs is some roads--and fill-in all these ditches!"

Population growth is the source of global warming. Population growth is mostly in Africa, India, Pakistan, Arab countries, Central and South America. Many of these peoples want to immigrate to Europe and N. America and their cultural habits with them. Good luck with this Gen X.

I have been to Venice when it was bone dry. To be honest, it is one of the most hyped places in Italy. There are so many more beautiful places to visit in that great country and a great food to eat. Venice symbolizes what greed can get when greed has no limit. I don't know if folks remember that story of a four person or may be even two person Japanese tourist group - no less - who were charged 1,000 Euros or someyhing for pasta - and one bottle of wine. Folks - if you have not been there - don't go. Go Milano, Florence or even Udine - near Venice - a great country.

Ah, this reminds me of my trip to Venice several years ago. We knew to prepare for aqua alta, and took high boots, umbrellas, rain coats - the works. Except, the day we experienced aqua alta started out so sunny, and the warning notices in the hotel did not indicate that later in the evening we would be caught in torrential rains, but we were. I did have my umbrella, which didn’t help much. Our small and most lovely boutique hotel is right on a small side-street canal and was unreachable without wading in deep water, in spite of some platforms set out. My spouse played “hero” and waded back, ruined his shoes, while I stood on one of the canal bridges waiting for his return with my high yellow Crocs boots. The next morning was spent finding new shoes for the rescuer.

Too bad it couldn’t have been the Venetian in Las Vegas that got flooded instead of Venice itself. But this is incredibly sad. I hope I get to see it soon— without the floods.

While Venice has its particular charm, beauty and like-nowhere-else-in-world-ness, it is only one small part of what is Italy. As such, it is "over harvested" by tourists and that takes away a good bit of its charm. Italy as a country may be the most amazing combination of art, history, natural beauty, culture, cuisine and great wine anywhere in the world. Venice... Eh. Go elsewhere in the country for the real Italy. Or, wait, no, go to Venice and leave the real Italy for the rest of us.

When I went to Venice 3 years ago I thought of taking rubber boots with me. I knew acqua alta could occur in November but I lucked out. Everywhere in Venice there are wooden platforms stacked up ready to set up when flooding occurs. Yes, as the seas rise the flooding is worse, but there has always been flooding, and sometimes much worse. In 1966 both Florence and Venice suffered from severe flooding. Venice is still recovering. Water was up to about 195 cm. MOSE is supposed to prevent this sort of thing but it seems it will never be finished. I am definitely not trying to deny the seriousness of global warming but regular flooding is part of the "charm(?)" of Venice.

Everyone should note that the NYT refrains from mentioning climate change in this article specifically because Venice has been experiencing floods like this for hundreds of years. Note terms like "Far from record flooding". Interestingly though, I didn't notice anyone calling for the relocation of the city or banning people from living there, as they would should this article have been about flooding in some coastal area of the U.S.

Awful. Depressing. To think this is happening in my lifetime.

Citizens of Venice would probably vote for climate change measures to be incorporated. Too bad their vote will be dismissed in the USA, presently.

I was last in Venice a couple of summers ago when water poured each night into Piazza San Marco. I'm not sure if that kind of summer flooding is normal, but hordes of tourists saw it as a fun occasion to remove their shoes and pose on the ankle-deep water for selfies as if they were in an outdoor nightclub. It made me so nostalgic for my very first visit in winter 1979 when the acqua alta was making quite a showing - and my small group of art history students were the only tourists in the city.

So sad. Global warming in action. We need to save the planet.

As we speak of overtourism and climate change, let's also give some thought to population growth worldwide. The United Nations projects the world's population to reach 9.8 billion in 2050 and 11.2 billion in 2100.

Up next, raised walkways around Battery Park.

One of the worlds great cities is dying of tourism. Let's hope it won't be too late before the necessary action is taken.

Although the flooding may be at record high, readers should know that the "acqua alta" occurs routinely in Venice in the fall and winter and the images shown resemble very much the flooding my wife and I experienced (enjoyed) there during carnival several years ago. Venice has been a slow moving restoration and preservation disaster since Ruskin raised the alarm in the 19th century. Certainly, climate change will submerge it forever unless a dike is built that can entirely encircle it. By then, lower Manhattan will suffer the same fate.

I feel so grateful to have visited 2 years ago during the off season with no crowds or cruise ships, or floods.

My late wife and I were married in April 1995 by the Vice Mayor of Venice, long before George Clooney. We went back in 2005 for our 10th Anniversary. I have cherished memories of my beloved wife walking through the narrow streets of Venice, resplendent in her wedding dress and throwing her bouquet from the center of the Rialto Bridge to the cheers of probably a couple of thousand people on both sides of the Grand Canal and from boats, vaparettos and gondolas. This story saddens me but I will always love Venice, floods (although I wish they’d get those barriers up) or not.

From what I have read, the predictions of the demise of Venice from flooding has been going on for nearly 800 years, and it still stands. The problem with excessive tourism is bad and it is correctable. First of all the enormous cruise ships should not be allowed anywhere near Venice. Secondly, only a certain number of tourists should be permitted to enter Venice in a 24 hour period. I think the preference should go first to those who stay overnight for at least 3 days. Will these restrictions ever be made? Doubtful. Italians talk about a problem constantly and complain but never make anything like potent demonstrations against the status quo. And the Italian politicians are not very interested in the problems of Italians. They are most interested in jockeying for power in their parties and against other parties. Journalists just simply ask questions about what the politicians want to talk about. Sigh....

My wife and I visited in March 1997 and were lashed by wind and rain. Piazza San Marco was under water and we entered the basilica on the platforms similar to those shown here. There was water on the floor and it was most disheartening to imagine the whole place submerged, which seemed inevitable and does still. Now it even seems probable. I am not holding out for an engineering solution when it seems governments everywhere are besieged by Neo-liberal policies. Venice is a world heritage site, but its needs will take a back seat to the vast human misery extant in our world today. Scary stuff.

No doubt remains that human activities including the massive consumption and combustion of fossil fuels that produce greenhouse gases are contributors to this unsettling weather. Not confined to Europe or North America, the climate change is in evidence all around the globe and is particularly severe in our polar regions. The inane inundation of massive tourism is also to blame for the permanent degradation of monuments in Europe including the entire city of Venice and should also be considered a noxious form of pollution of it own, for some enforcement entity to address and curtail...

Whether wildfires or earthquakes in California, hurricanes on the Gulf of Mexico, flooding in Venice, famine in Africa, it stops being natural disaster after 40 years and becomes failure of planning by local and national officials or individuals. While the pictures of Venice look terrible, I suspect the actual damage will be minimal because they have been planning for this. In fact, the old saying a picture is worth a thousand words is less than correct. Pictures can be used effectively to misrepresent the truth. How often does the News Media use pictures which do not truly represent what is really happening.