A flood barrier in Venice has pushed back flood waters, saving the city from destruction. It is the first time that the barrier, which has been delayed for years, has been tested by high flood tides.
The project called 'Mose' cost billions to construct and was a welcome investment that has now shown its true worth. Luigi Brugnaro, the mayor of Venice, said in a statement:
"Today, everything is dry. We stopped the sea. Lots of bad things have happened here, but now something wonderful has happened."
Venice has been subject to numerous floods in the past, including a huge flood last November which involved a 187cm tidal surge, the worst in 50 years.
The save by the Mose project comes as both Italy and France were struck by 'Storm Alex', which saw huge rainfall and the deaths of several people. The storm dragged away houses and collapsed bridges, leaving many people stranded and homes without electricity.
In the French city of Nice a year's worth of rainfall fell in just 12 hours.
The Mose project itself is made up of 78 bright yellow barriers that sit over the entrance to the Venetian lagoon, on which the city lies. As the tide rises, the barriers can be lifted, thereby acting as a shield. They can protect tidal surges as high as 3 metres.
Venice is famed for its canals on which the famous gondolas operate however, as water rises above the normal level, it can leave buildings and businesses entirely submerged.
There is great fear that as water-levels rise due to global warming, Venice may be swept away entirely, sitting as it does at such a low level. A report published in Quaternary International states that Venice will become an underwater city by the year 2100, as the Mediterranean Sea is expected to rise by up to 140cm over the next century. That is if action is not taken to combat the climate crisis.
Both engineers and government bodies are vested in developing plans to preserve Venice going forward, as not only is it one of the world's biggest tourist centres and a huge part of the Italian economy, it is also home to some of the most important cultural locations in Europe. It is though that thus far, as much as 6 billion euros have been spent developing the city for its future fight with the sea.
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