Venice Experiences Worst Floods in Over 50 Years; Man Dies as City Calls for State of Emergency

An elderly man has died in the worst floods to hit Venice in more than 50 years, as local authorities in the Italian lagoon city called for a state of emergency to be imposed. The unnamed man was killed on Tuesday night while he was trying to run electric pumps at his home on the island of Pellestrina, Alessandro Bertasi, spokesman for Venice's mayor, told CNN. The popular tourist destination was struck by an exceptionally high tide on Tuesday night, which peaked at 187 centimeters (73.6 inches), according to a statement by Venice's government Wednesday morning. The historic crypt of St. Mark's Basilica was inundated for just the sixth time in 1,200 years. It is the worst flooding in Venice since 1966, when the city was hit by tides up to 194 cm (76.4 inches) high, according to government statistics.




On Tuesday, the Tide Forecasting and Reporting Center of Civil Protection said that 45% of the city was flooded. Thirty volunteers will be deployed Wednesday to help with the clean-up, it said. Venice's government announced that after the "extraordinary" tide, it would "submit a request for a state of emergency" to the country's central government. All schools will be closed Wednesday due to the weather conditions, the local government said.


https://www.cnn.com/2019/11/13/europe/venice-flooding-state-of-emergency-intl-hnk/index.html