Venice canals left dried up after lack of rain as Italy braces for severe drought

21 February 2023, 14:42

Weeks without rain have left Venice's iconic canals dried up and muddy leading to transport issues and disappointed tourists as the country faces another year of droughts.

Venice's famous canals have taken the hit of weeks of dry winter weather leading to unusually low tides and the city's iconic gondolas left abandoned in the shallow, muddy waterways.

The abnormal weather had raised concerns that Italy could be facing another year of severe droughts. The country was forced to declare a state of emergency after severe droughts last year, which are estimated to have cost the agricultural sector around €6 billion in lost production.

The Alps have received less than half of their normal snowfall, according to scientists and environmental groups, which has caused difficulties for ski resorts across the country.

Venice, which typically floods, now faces low tides that have made it near-impossible for water ambulances, taxis and gondolas to move freely around the city.

Officials said water levels in Venice have dropped to 26 inches below the average sea level.

An emergency health service worker told The Times that ambulance workers had been forced to abandon their boats and reach patients on foot.

The problems in Venice are being blamed on a combination of factors including a high pressure system, a full moon, and sea currents - as well as the lack of rain.

More than 100,000 visitors have swarmed the city for the Carnival of Venice, an annual festival held in city. Some unhappy tourists have taken to Twitter to share photos of the city's famous canals reduced to muddy paths.

One user shared a video of stranded gondolas with the caption: "All this time I thought these canals in Venice are deep."

Another user shared several photos from points around the city, captioning the images: "Venice in the news because the canals have dried up. Water traffic is impossible.

"I've seen low tides in Venice before, but never to this extent."

Italian rivers and lakes are suffering from severe lack of water, the Legambiente environmental group said on Monday, with attention focused on the north of the country.

The Po, Italy's longest river in the north of the country has 61% less water than normal at this time of year.

Water levels on Lake Garda in northern Italy have fallen to record lows, making it possible to reach a small island, San Biagio, via an exposed pathway.

One Twitter user shared a satellite image of the island with the caption: "The island that is no longer an island."

An anticyclone in Western Europe over the last 15 days has brought unusually mild temperatures to the region, however forecasts predict the arrival of precipitation and snow in the Alps in the next few days.

The Venice canals are expected to regain normal water levels this week.