Italy : Low tides leave Venice canals dry

Exceptionally low tides on Friday left some of Venice’s canals dry. In stark contrast to floods in December, boats and gondolas were beached.

Tourists were shocked to see the low water levels

The water level in the city is becoming an increasing concern for its residents.

It is the second year in the row that venetians have experienced dried up canals and throughout the course of the year floods have been known to cause chaos for locals.

Studies have indicated that the city is sinking at a rate of 1-2mm per year.

Venice is heavily dependent on tourism and the coronavirus lockdown has badly hit the region as hotels, cafes, restaurants and shops all had to close.

But mass tourism has also put a strain of the city’s infrastructure and led to an increase in rents, making the city less affordable for local people to live in.

As places start to open some are questioning whether Venice should be so dependent on tourism and are looking at alternatives for a more sustainable future.

While tourism continues to grow in the area, the population continues to diminish.

Since 1951, the population of the city has fallen from 175,000 to 55,000.

Numerous reasons have been cited for the drop in residents including increased house prices, increased tourism and water damage caused by the canals.