All Dried Up: Venice's famous gondolas grounded as low tides turn canals into muddy mess
Unusual low tides and drought conditions in Italy have resulted in Venice’s canals drying up. The famous gondolas are grounded and leaving tourists and residents in a dire situation
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A freak low tide in the waterways of Venice has left the city’s world-famous canals looking like ditches, abandoning its gondolas and water taxis in a sea of mud. Reuters
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The famous gondolas now sit unoccupied as the low tides have made it impossible for them to navigate some of the city’s famous canals. AP
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It is at least 15 years since water levels spent so long languishing more than 50 cm below the typical average, the head of Venice’s tide centre Alvise Papa said. AP
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The low tide and the mooring of the gondolas has also disrupted the annual carnival which last year drew around 100,000 revellers to Venice. AP
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Since the canals essentially serve as streets in car-less Venice, the phenomenon of the last days has added to the challenges of every-day life in the city. AP
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Weather experts blame the phenomenon on an anticyclone wind system that is temporarily stuck above the city. The anticyclone lingering over northern Italy has also led to smog in the cities of the Po Valley and has put a strain on the agricultural sector. AP
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The situation is surprising as normally, Venice has the opposite problem: flooding. AP
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Multiple issues are being blamed for the current unusually dry conditions, including low tides, sea currents and a full moon. It also comes as an environmental group has raised alarm over long-running drought conditions in the north of Italy. AP
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The low tides have also revealed the ancient foundations of a number of buildings in Venice. AP
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It is expected that the canals of Venice will remain dry for the next few days. And until the water levels return, boats - the main mode of transport - cannot be used. AP
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