The big news this weekend was that yesterday, October 3, Venice's system of flood barriers (known as MOSE) were successfully raised to prevent a high tide of 130 cm from inundating Piazza San Marco as it normally would have. (Another report on it here: https://www.usnews.com/news/world/articles/2020-10-03/venice-deploys-flood-barrier-for-first-time-as-storm-drives-up-tide.)
Long overdue and hugely over-budget, this was a day that many people--myself among them--thought they'd never see. It is a good sign--it is at least something after so many years of delays and ongoing problems, and it will be interesting to see what comes next.
But I'll leave it to others to go into all of that, and for today keep the focus more narrow.
I must admit I was amazed to hear/see that it'd worked! For so long we've seen bits being made and assumed it'd have rusted away completely before ever it got used.
ReplyDeleteBut hopefully it may, IF it continues to work, avert some of the more serious floodings.
I was amazed, too, Ella, and it would be nice if it could avert the highest tides. But we shall see...
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