Burgess COMMENTARY

Peter Burgess

Venice has a sinking feeling US researchers say Italian city is sinking at a much faster rate than previously thought.
Last Modified: 28 Mar 2012 20:09
http://www.aljazeera.com/video/europe/2012/03/2012328185657338110.html

New research suggests the Italian city of Venice is sinking faster than previously thought.

A study by an American scientific institution using GPS and satellite imaging of the islands for 10 years has found that the city is sinking at a rate of 1 to 2 millimetres per year.

Venetians, however, say they have heard it all before and say the report amounts more to sensationalism than science.

Al Jazeera's Claudio Lavanga reports from Venice.

The canals of Italy's famous city of Venice have been drenched by heavy rain, sending water levels soaring to near record highs.

With a metre-and-a-half of water, 80 per cent of Venice was flooded at the peak of high tide.

The combination of meteoroglical and astronomical factors that led to it, make Sunday's tides the seventh highest of all time.

The flooding could see the water levels rise up to two metres above sea level.

Al Jazeera's Claudio Lavanga reports from Venice.

Around 100 cruise-liners sail through Venice every year, bringing thousands of passengers who boost the city's tourism industry.

But not everyone is happy about that. In September, angry Venetians tried to stop one of the ships from entering the city.

They say the ships are an eyesore and threaten the city's fragile ecosystem.

Al Jazeera's Claudio Lavanga reports from Venice.