Venice: The official Doom Foreign Capital

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Venice swamped by 'aqua alta'

ROME: A steep rise in sea levels swamped part of the historic lagooon city of Venice yesterday, the first "aqua alta" (high water) of the year.

Venice was hit by the common seasonal phenomenon combined with a depression that pushed water levels up to a peak of three feet, before receding, the city's flood centre said.

"It's the first time this year that the waters have reached such a height," the statement said, adding that 15 per cent of the historic centre was submerged.

Tourists in Saint Mark's Square took off their shoes and rolled up their trousers to cope with the flooding, blamed on a combination of natural tides, a weather disturbance originating in the Atlantic Ocean that caused winds over the Adriatic and a drop in atmospheric pressure.

In worse-hit areas, people made their way along narrow raised walkways.

The flood centre used a new SMS alert system for the first time, in addition to the usual sirens and loud-speaker announcements, to warn the public of the rising waters.

http://www.gulf-daily-news.com/Story.asp...ueID=29219