In Pictures

In Pictures: Venice flooded by record-high tide

Second-highest tide ever sweeps through Italian city overnight, flooding its famous basilica.

People take selfie photos at the flooded St. Mark''s square by St. Mark''s Basilica after an exceptional overnight "Alta Acqua" high tide water level, early on November 13, 2019 in Venice. - Powerful ra — Powerful rainstorms hit Italy on Tuesday, with the worst affected areas in the south and Venice, where there was widespread flooding. [Marco Bertorello/AFP]

Venice’s mayor has called the city a disaster zone after the second-highest tide ever recorded swept through it overnight, flooding its famous basilica and leaving many squares and alleyways deep under water.

The worst flooding in the Italian city in more than 50 years prompted calls on Wednesday to better protect the historic city from rising sea levels as officials calculated hundreds of millions of euros in damages.

“Venice is on its knees,” Mayor Luigi Brugnaro said on Twitter. “St. Mark’s Basilica has sustained serious damage, like the entire city and its islands.”

Night-time footage showed a torrent of water whipped up by high winds raging through the city centre while Luca Zaia, governor of the Veneto region, described a scene of “apocalyptic devastation”.

The exceptionally intense “acqua alta”, or high water, peaked at 1.87 metres (six feet) late on Tuesday, forcing stranded tourists to wade through rapidly rising waters in the dark in search of safety as the flood alarm rang out.

Only once since records began in 1923 has the water crept even higher, reaching 1.94 metres in 1966.

Brugnaro said the situation was dramatic. “We ask the government to help us. The cost will be high. This is the result of climate change,” he said on Twitter.

A flood barrier was designed in 1984 to protect Venice from the kind of high tides that hit the city on Tuesday, but the multibillion-euro project, known as Mose, has been plagued by corruption scandals and is still not operative.

The flooded crypt of St Mark''s Basilica is pictured during an exceptionally high water levels in Venice, Italy November 13, 2019. REUTERS/Manuel Silvestri — The flooded crypt of St Mark's Basilica is pictured during a moment of exceptionally high water levels in Venice. [Manuel Silvestri/Reuters]

epa07991915 General view of the extreme floodwaters in Venice, Italy, 12 November 2019. The high tide has already reached the level of 1,87 meter above sea level. EPA-EFE/ANDREA MEROLA BEST QUALITY A — Tables and chairs bobbed along alleyways in the dark, as locals and tourists alike waded through the streets, the water slopping over the top of even the highest boots. [Andrea Merola/EPA]

People wade through water in a flooded St. Mark''s Square, in Venice, Wednesday, Nov. 13, 2019. The high-water mark hit 187 centimeters (74 inches) late Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2019, meaning more than 85% of — The highest water level ever recorded was 1.94 metres (6.4 feet) during the infamous flooding in 1966. [Luca Bruno/AP Photo]

epa07990702 People walk on benches through floodwaters in Venice, Italy, 12 November 2019. The high tide has already reached the level of 1 meter above sea level in Venice at 8 am. EPA-EFE/ANDREA MER — People walk on benches through floodwaters in Venice. [Andrea Merola/EPA]

A photographer takes pictures in a flooded St. Mark''s Square, in Venice, Italy, Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2019. The high tide reached a peak of 127cm (4.1ft) at 10:35am while an even higher level of 140cm(4.6 — A photographer takes pictures in a flooded St Mark's Square in Venice. [Luca Bruno/AP Photo]

epa07991921 The extreme floodwaters at Piazza San Marco (St Mark''s Square) in Venice, Italy, 12 November 2019. The high tide has already reached the level of 1,87 meter above sea level. EPA-EFE/ANDRE — Much of Italy has been pummelled by torrential rains in recent days, with widespread flooding, especially in the southern parts of the country. [Andrea Merola/EPA]

Workers are seen in the flooded St.Mark''s Square during a period of seasonal high water in Venice, Italy November 12, 2019. REUTERS/Manuel Silvestri — Workers in the flooded St Mark's Square during a period of seasonal high water in Venice. [Manuel Silvestri/Reuters]

A woman walks her dog through a flooded street after an exceptional overnight "Alta Acqua" high tide water level, on November 13, 2019 in Venice. - Powerful rainstorms hit Italy on November 12, with t — The worst flooding in Venice in more than 50 years prompted calls to better protect the historic city from rising sea levels. [Marco Bertorello/AFP]

epa07992231 A view of a boat stranded on the docks following bad weather in Venice, northern Italy, 13 November 2019. A wave of bad weather has hit much of Italy on 12 November. Levels of 100-120cm ab — Floods of 1-1.2 metres (three to four feet) above sea level are fairly common in the lagoon city and Venice is well-equipped to cope with its rafts of pontoon walkways. [Andrea Merola/EPA]