High Tide in Venice Floods the Streets With Up to Five Feet of Water

Locals and tourists of Venice alike have recently found themselves searching for higher ground on a regular basis as the "acqua alta" or high tides have flooded parts of the city.

According to The Associated Press, the water is expected to rise to around 145 centimeters (4.7 feet) by the end of Tuesday. People have been traveling through the city on raised pathways wherever they can, but for the most part, the city has closed many businesses, including shops, cafes, and restaurants, as well as schools and many tourist attractions.

A few places in the city, such as hotels and popular tourist attractions like Ducal Palace and Museo Archeologico Nazionale di Venezia, remained open. Many hotels have been offering guests disposable rain boots in order to stay dry if they decide to venture onto the streets, The AP reported.

The museum took to Twitter to let visitors know that they were open by saying: “High tide? No problem if you are triton or a nereid! For the record: we are open, and we are waiting for you despite the adverse conditions."

According to Euronews, St. Marks Square, in particular, is drenched in high waters.

“Venice is a very beautiful city, and it becomes a very special place when the water level is high," a Venetian resident told the European outlet. “But apart from the beauty which this phenomenon gives to the city, there are also problems.”

Meanwhile, other people in the city have been posting on social media about the floods. Some seem to be amused by the bad weather, while others stress the ever-present issue of climate change.

The highest "acqua alta" the city has ever recorded was 1.94 meters (6 feet, 4 inches) in November 1966.