Venice is sinking due to rising sea levels and was built on a sedimentary island. The city’s canals have replaced streets, but flooding is a serious problem. The city is investing in steel gates to stop flooding, but experts say a long-term solution is needed to address global warming.
Venice, Italy is widely considered one of the most beautiful cities in the world. It’s a city that should be seen with a loved one, and if the reports are true, it should be seen before it completely disappears into the surrounding waters. Venice is slowly sinking, but as with most coastal cities, sea levels are also rising.
The city was built on a marsh, a sedimentary island within a lagoon off the coast of Italy. Attila the Hun invaded Italy in 452, forcing many inhabitants to flee to the coast. A small group of islands in the center of a lagoon was collectively called Rivo Alto, or “high shore”. Soon the area expanded and Ri’Alto became the center of Venice.
Venice is a maze of canals, which largely take the place of what would be streets in other cities. Gondolas and water taxis transport people to and from destinations. As the water level rose, flooding became a serious problem and contributed to the sinking of Venice. During high tide in autumn and winter, the Piazza San Marco, the lowest area of the island, is completely flooded with water.
When high tide season arrives, roads often become blocked. Wooden walkways must be erected for pedestrians to walk safely. The high water level is causing damage to Venice and inconvenience to its inhabitants, and it has now reached the point where the city governors see the problem as critical.
Venice is always slowly sinking. Over the past 1,000 years, it has decreased by about 2.75 inches (7 centimeters) per century, but recent reports have stated that in the last century alone, the city of Venice has decreased by about 9.44 inches (24 cm). This may have more to do with global warming and the melting of the ice caps than with Venice sinking to its very foundations.
Global warming is an issue that is taken very seriously and is a major environmental concern for coastal and island-built cities. Reports have shown that the ice sheets are melting at their fastest rate ever and it is becoming a critical issue. Experts are seriously approaching the problem to find a solution to the problem.
The level to which Venice is sinking is now seen as critical. Many theories and concepts have been developed to stop the sinking and city leaders are now considering investing in massive steel gates to stop the flooding. The cost of this project is estimated at 2 or 3 billion euros, and it is not clear whether this enormous price will be enough to stop the problem.
Many experts say this solution to stopping Venice from sinking can only be short-term and will only help stem the floods for the next 20 to 30 years. A long-term solution needs to be found that includes addressing the causes of global warming. If not, the sinking of Venice could be another chapter in world history.
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