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Venice gets stuck in the mud
Gondolas in Venice have have been left stranded on mudbanks along the Grand Canal after one of its lowest tides for more than a decade.
Venice was left high and dry, ferry firms had to reroute boats and the fire services were swamped with calls after water levels fell about 30 inches, the lowest figure for at least 14 years.
As the long-term survival of Venice is threatened by annual flooding from rising sea levels, 2007 recorded no significant high tides. February and March are traditional months for low tides anyway. But in recent years spring tides have been lower than ever.
Scientists insist this spell of low tides doesn't mean they are wrong about the future threat to Venice from global warming and rising sea levels. They blame this year's the low tides on a combination of high pressure and prevailing winds.
Scientists say ocean levels have risen 3.5 inches in the past 100 years and subsidence has left Venice sinking nine inches into the lagoon over the same period. Work on a gigantic flood barrier known as the "Moses" has been under way since 2003.The lowest tide of the last quarter century was 36 inches below sea level, recorded in February 1989.
This article was written for TravelSavvy Europe by Val Adams. For more information see: Venice - Gondolas. If you know of an interesting European travel related news story, please get in contact.
