Dam protection gates save Venice from flooding
The barriers of the Mose system, which protects Venice and the Venetian lagoon from flooding. Photo: EPA
Venice has narrowly avoided flooding, thanks to the deployment of its Mose dam system built to protect to the famous Italian city.
Water at the southern dam of the Lido barrier island reached 154cm above the normal level on Monday night, according to the city’s data.
St Mark’s Square becomes submerged when the water level is about 80cm above the normal level, according to the municipality.
Mose is a system of 78 flood gates rising from the Venetian lagoon floor and has been in operation since 2020.
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When rain and storms cause water levels to rise, especially in the autumn, Venice raises the barriers, avoiding major high tides in the UNESCO World Heritage city.
High tides and sea water can cause significant damage to the buildings.
The highest water level recorded – 194cm – was in 1966.
Live images from the popular tourist city on Tuesday morning showed people walking across St Mark’s Square as normal.
The last major flooding occurred in November 2022 when the water level reached about 170cm above the normal level.
