Venice floods damage St. Mark’s Basilica

(CNN) – This is an event that will never happen again.

Tested for the first time in adverse conditions, their successful deployment dried up the historic center for the first time in city history. This means that the catastrophic floods of 2019 – which caused more than $ 1 billion in damage to the city – must be a thing of the past.

In the two months since its inception, at the start of what has traditionally been a flood season, the so-called MOSE ban system has been successfully implemented five times – including a three-day period last week.

But on Tuesday, the barriers were not raised and the city was flooded again.

A ‘terrible situation’

St. Marks Square, one of the lowest areas of the city, was particularly badly affected, with water deep in the thighs.

Claudio Vernier, owner of Al Totoro Bar and Gelatiria and head of the Associated Piazza San Marco, told CNN that it was a “dramatic and unexpected event that we thought we had behind us”.

“We lived with a lot of anger,” he said.

“It hurts economically and morally. It could have been avoided. We know Moss exists, we know it works, it’s not used.”

Carlo Alberto Deserin, one of St. Mark’s purchasers overseeing the church, says the 11th-century Byzantine Basilica of St. Mark suffered “severe damage.”

“We are underwater to a dramatic extent and the damage is serious,” he said.

The church is still recovering from last year’s floods, from which salt water ate into the marble interiors. Even when the flood is dry, the marble absorbs the salt, which can spread up to seven meters (23 feet), degrading the stone as it goes.

“The basilica is one of the most important works of art in the world, and it is being destroyed,” Vernier told CNN.

Permission to raise barriers

As of December 2021, the MOSE is officially in a testing phase and is subject to the jurisdiction of the Italian government.

Once completed, the restrictions will be handed over to the Venetian authorities, but for the next 12 months, they will have to ask the national government to enforce the sanctions when they predict more waves each time.

The lowest parts of the city, such as St. Marks Square, are built less than one meter above the average wave level. This means that when the waves reach 90 centimeters (35 inches) above average they begin to flood. The secret of the Basilica flood is just 65 centimeters (25 inches).

Last year’s catastrophic flood reached 187 centimeters (77 inches) above average.

When city officials take charge, barriers will be raised when the wave hits 110 centimeters (43 inches) above average – which is already found in 12% of the city underwater.

But when it is in its testing phase, it will only be activated if the wave is predicted to break 130 centimeters (51 inches) above average – almost half of Venice is already under water at the time. At this point, although it may be a centimeter or two in the upper parts of the city, St. Marks Square is already knee-deep.

Incorrect weather forecast

On Tuesday, the wave level hit 138 centimeters (54 inches) above average – above the level at which obstacles should engage.

But the weather forecast forecasts only 125 centimeters of waves – two inches below the level at which obstacles are automatically raised. The system is not activated.

As the weather worsened, city officials sent warnings to residents that they should be prepared for flooding. Obstacles take several hours to wake up, and by the time it is clear how high the wave will be, it is too late to take action.

At the event, half of the city was underwater, reaching even the elevated sidewalks in St. Marks Square, which are usually above low flooding.

Even at that point Vernier firmly believes it was the wrong decision.

“Italy is currently experiencing historically bad and unpredictable weather,” he said, adding that authorities should have taken precautions to raise sanctions.

“It’s decided on the basis of a weather forecast, no weather forecast is accurate. Five centimeters (two inches) can make a big difference and cause great damage – the same thing we saw yesterday.”

Hope for the best, getting ready for the worst

On Tuesday, however, he lifted most of the furniture and belongings off the ground in the afternoon, after about two centimeters (less than an inch) of water had entered his apartment.

“Even if it doesn’t look big, you have to lift everything first and make sure nothing is on the ground,” he said.

“Then you have to wait for the water to come in, wait for it to go out, and then clean the inside for several hours – you have to clean the apartment again and again.

“Then wait for it to dry, and then lower your belongings. You lose a whole day for being able to stay in your home.”

However, Fakharasi is still a believer in Moses. “I believe this is 100%, but it will not stop climate change or solve all the problems in Venice,” he said.

“It simply came to our notice then [the events of last year] It will never happen again, but since Moss is not finalized yet, we know it could happen. Venetians need to believe in the best, but be prepared for the worst. “

‘We could not handle another’

Valeria Dufflot, co-founder of Venice Attendica, agrees.

“More water [flooding] He has always been a part of life in Venice, “he told CNN.” Although yesterday’s events were not fun – they were a waste of time and damage because they had to be lifted off the ground – the Venetians knew how to deal with it.

“What we can’t handle as we saw last year will be another serious flood.

“But because the MOSE is working, raising it by 130 centimeters, it should not be seen again.”

But he insists flood barriers alone are not needed.

“Beyond the well-known phenomenon of migration in the local community, mass tourism has been recognized to exacerbate the impact of climate change, and now we need to work on changing that,” he says.

According to Vernier, when the MOSE was planned several decades ago, it was estimated that it should be raised whenever the sea level hit 110 centimeters (43 inches) above average – at that time, it happened once or twice a year.

“Now with the bad weather crisis, the water level is always high and we see that kind of wave 20 times a year,” he said.

“What will happen in 30 years?”

The struggle for control

Flood barriers were raised overnight as very bad weather was expected over the next few days.

The highest wave was recorded at 123 centimeters (48 inches) on Wednesday morning, 135 centimeters (53 inches) on Thursday and 140 centimeters (55 inches) on Friday. MOSE is enabled for both.

Meanwhile, Venice authorities are demanding more in their decision to raise sanctions.

He said there was a key need to “reduce the command chain”.