Officials estimate that up to 75 percent of Venice, Italy, is flooded amid intense winds,the BBCreported. The water reached its highest level since December 2008, according tothe Associated Press.
“The exceptional wave of bad weather leaves us with a dramatic toll: nine dead, four serious injuries and one person missing,” Interior Minister Matteo Salvini said, according to the outlet.
Mirco Toniolo/Errebi/AGF/REX/Shutterstock
ANDREA MEROLA/EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock
In Venice, St. Mark’s Square was closed on Monday due to more than five feet of water, and the water bus system was open only to surrounding islands.
Venice’s walkways were removed after they were submerged in water. Tourists walked through water up to their waists, while competitors ran in the Venice Marathon on Sunday despite the conditions.
y Mirco Toniolo/Errebi/AGF/REX/Shutterstock
Sea levels around Venice have been rising because of climate change,Newsweekreported. The water approaches 43 inches about four times each year.
The bad weather stretches to other parts of Europe. Mountainous parts of France and Italy were buried under snow, according toThe Guardian. About 170 tourists and staffers were unable to travel after snow fell near the Swiss border, and 1,000 people could not get out of their cars in France overnight because of snow in the Massif Central area.
195,000 homes lost power in France, and 21,000 homes went without power in Corsica. Rivers threatened to flood in Austria,The Guardianreported.
source: people.com
