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Venice Swamped By Aaqua Alta For First Time In 2006
Venice (AFP) Oct 24, 2006 A steep rise in sea levels swamped part of the historic lagooon city of Venice on Tuesday, 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 1.12 meters (three feet, eight inches) before receding, the city's flood center said in a communique. "It's the first time this year that the waters have reached such a height," the statement said, adding that 15 percent of the historic center was submerged. Tourists in Saint Mark's Square took off their shoes and rolled up their trouser legs 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 center 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. Some 50,000 people who subscribed to the service were kept apprised of the state of flooding on their cell phones. The highest "aqua alta" on record in the Renaissance canal city was on November 4, 1966, when the waters reached 1.94 meters amid severe flooding throughout Italy.
Source: Agence France-Presse Community Email This Article Comment On This Article Related Links Water, Water Everywhere and Not A Drop To Drink... Bringing Order To A World Of Disasters When the Earth Quakes A world of storm and tempest
Hurricane Paul Swirls Toward Mexican Coast
Miami (AFP) Oct 23, 2006Hurricane Paul Monday swirled toward Mexico's Pacific coast Monday with winds hitting 150 kilometers (90 miles) per hour, threatening the tourist-packed tip of Baja California and the mainland to the east, forecasters said. |
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