Monday, December 1, 2008 - 12:20
AFP News Briefs ListVenice authorities issue flood alert
Authorities in the Italian city of Venice issued a flood alert Monday, warning that the sea was due to rise 1.60 metres above its normal level, the highest for 30 years.
Nearly all the streets of the city, including the central tourist district were already under water by mid-morning -- the famous Piazza San Marco by 80 centimetres (two feet, seven inches).
The Venice tidal centre predicted sea levels would peak at 1.60 metres (5 feet, 3 inches) towards midday (1100 GMT).
The worst incident of "aqua alta" (high water) in Venice came on November 4, 1966 when the city was submerged by 1.94 metres of water amid catastrophic flooding throughout Italy.
More recently, in February 1986, levels reached 1.58 metres above average. The last time the waters passed 1.60 metres was in 1979 when they reached 1.66 metres.
Images
Tourists walk through Venice's Piazza San Marco after the historic city was flooded in 2007. Venitian authorities have issued a flood alert, warning that the sea level is due to reach its highest level for 30 years.
© 2007 AFP Damien Meyer
