'System failure': Popular tourist spot goes underwater after drainage system fails
Venetians and tourists pulled on their rubber boots to deal with flooding that reached a height of 4.5 feet above sea level in the afternoon.
The waters drowned St Mark's Square, which is Venice city's lowest area (about one metre above sea level), and flooded the famous basilica as many shopkeepers blocked their entrances with wood panels to keep the water out.
According to a Reuters report, as the huge deluge was pushed into the lagoon city, authorities were caught off guard before they could activate the flood barriers rolled out just two months ago.
The system of 78 flood gates, known as Mose, guard the entrance to the Venetian lagoon and are designed to protect the city from tides of up to three metres. However, they require 48 hours’ notice to be activated.
Weather bulletins in past days had forecast rainfall pushing sea levels up to 120 centimetres, below the 130cm threshold at which the flood barriers are operated.