Lagoon City
Flood protection gates protect Venice from flooding
Tourists walk on catwalks across flooded St. Mark’s Square. photo
© Domenico Stinellis/AP/dpa
The sophisticated flood protection system “Mose” has once again proven itself: Venice was protected from flooding.
The city rolled out the flood protection mechanism, or “Mose” for short, early on Monday evening. The system of 78 yellow flaps installed at four entrances to the lagoon has been in operation since 2020. Venice often raises the billion-dollar structure, especially in autumn, when rain and storms cause water levels to rise. Since then, major floods have been avoided in the UNESCO World Heritage city.
Floods can cause major damage in the lagoon city. The salt water from the sea damages historical buildings. The last major “Acqua Alta” situation occurred in November 2022: the water level reached a level of around 170 centimeters above normal. The historic flood of the century in Venice dates back to 1966, when the water swelled to 194 centimeters.
The high water level on Tuesday night was due to the sirocco wind, which became increasingly stronger on Monday evening. On Tuesday morning, live images from the city, which is popular with tourists, showed people walking across St. Mark’s Square – but the square was not under water.