Once again, the “acqua alta” flooded Venice | “The situation …

The heavy rains that hit Italy partially flooded Venice, which is experiencing a new episode of “flood” without the MOSE, the dike system built to protect the city from these rises, having been activated.

“I am at the Tidal Center to follow the evolution of the situation: the next maximum of 145 centimeters is at 4:40 p.m., due to the abnormal strengthening of the wind. The MOSE system is not active”, wrote the mayor of Venice, Luigi Brugnaro, on the social network Twitter.

San Marcos Square and the historic city center are flooded and, if until this morning the “flood” had reached 122 centimeters, the city council warns that a maximum of 145 centimeters is expected for the afternoon, due to the wind.

“The situation is terrible, we are dramatically under water,” said Carlo Alberto Tessein, prosecutor of the Basilica of San Marcos, who assured that “the narthex (atrium) is completely flooded and, if the level continues to go up, also the inner chapels will be flooded. “

The dike system, known as MOSE, which took more than fifteen years to build to protect Venice from increasingly frequent flooding, was first tested on October 3 and has been activated several times for stem the tide. The 58 movable gates of these barriers are normally expected to operate whenever more than 110 centimeters of “flood” is expected.

This Tuesday, several traders in the historic center complained and protested against the decision not to have removed the barriers, despite forecasts.

The work consists of three underwater barriers that are raised to close the three outlets of the Venetian lagoon offshore: Malamocco, Lido and Chioggia. It cost 5.5 billion euros, far more than expected and suffered significant delays, as well as corruption scandals. In November last year, Venice suffered one of its worst “high water” levels, with “exceptional” levels surpassed only by the 1966 disaster.