The mayor of Venice Luigi Brugnaro has said his city is "on its knees" after facing an unprecedented flooding event this month.

Water levels rose above 1.5 metres three times in a single week — it's never risen to that level even twice in a single year.

While the damage is still being assessed, there are fears there could be irreparable damage to some of Venice's historic treasures.

The famed Saint Mark's Basilica was flooded for just the sixth time in 1,200 years, but the fourth time in the last two decades.


The haunting sirens that warn Venetians of the acqua alta, or high waters, are becoming more frequent.

Mr Brugnaro has blamed climate change, saying Venice is "in the trenches" in the fight against rising tides.

But is there more to the city's woes, and can the floods ever be stopped?

For more from ABC News, click here: [ Ссылка ]
If you're in Australia, you can watch more ABC News content on iview: [ Ссылка ]

Subscribe to ABC News In-depth: [ Ссылка ]
For breaking and trending news, subscribe to ABC News on YouTube: [ Ссылка ]
You can also like us on Facebook: [ Ссылка ]
Or follow us on Instagram: [ Ссылка ]
Or even on Twitter: [ Ссылка ]

свернуть