Extreme Venice floods

This item appears on page 57 of the January 2020 issue.

Historically high tides in Venice in mid-November left more than 80% of the city’s surface underwater. On Nov. 13, the high tide was only 7 centimeters lower than the highest water level ever recorded in the city. Because of the flooding, a few cruise ships canceled port calls.

According to the mayor of Venice, the cost to repair water damage to the city’s historical buildings could reach more than 1 billion.