Worst floods for 50 years bring Venice to ‘its knees’

The worst flooding to hit Venice in more than 50 years has brought the historic city to its knees, its mayor said on Wednesday.

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

The crypt of St. Mark’s Basilica was inundated for just the sixth time in 1,200 years.

Local authorities in the Italian lagoon city called for a state of emergency to be imposed, as an elderly man was left dead in the floods. The unnamed man was killed on Tuesday night while he was trying to run electric pumps at his home on the island of Pellestrina, Alessandro Bertasi, spokesman for Venice’s mayor, told CNN.

The popular tourist destination was struck by an exceptionally high tide on Tuesday night, which peaked at 187 centimeters (73.6 inches), according to a statement by Venice’s government Wednesday morning.

It is the worst flooding in Venice since 1966, when the city was hit by tides up to 194 cm (76.4 inches) high, according to government statistics.

A city worker helps a woman cross a gangway in Venice, Italy, on Sunday, November 17.

Pumps spout water from a flooded restaurant on November 17.

A man sits on a stepladder inside a shop as a woman walks down a flooded street.

A flooded St. Mark's Square is seen on Friday, November 15, in Venice, Italy.

People traverse a provisional footpath built over flood waters on Friday, November 15, in Venice, Italy.

Guests inspect high tidal waters inside a Venice hotel, on Friday, November 15.

Volunteers treat damaged music sheets from the historical archive of the Conservatorio Benedetto Marcello, on Friday, November 15. Important music sheets have been damaged by unexpected flooding throughout the city of Venice.

A man carries luggage Friday as he wades through the flood.

Banksy's migrant child mural is seen partially submerged on Friday.

A woman checks the state of books from renowned bookstore "Acqua Alta" (High Water) on Friday after flooding in Venice.

A woman with a selfie stick makes her through a flooded St. Mark's Square.

People wade Friday through a flooded Venice alley.

People wearing waterproof shoe covers walk through floodwater on Thursday, November 14, at St. Mark's Square in Venice, Italy.

In a photo taken on Tuesday, November 12, flooding is seen inside Ferro Fini Palace in Venice. Democratic Party councilor Andrea Zanoni said on Facebook that the Palace's council chamber started to take in water around 10 p.m. local time on Tuesday, as councilors were debating the 2020 regional budget.

A group of Gondoliers are seen on a pier in Venice, after the city suffered its highest tide in 50 years.

Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte surveys flood damage in Venice on November 14.

Members of the municipal police stand in water by St. Mark's Basilica on November 14.

Head of the Forza Italia party and former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, second from right, assesses the flood damage on November 14.

A shopkeeper throws out water from his flooded store on Wednesday, November 13.

A woman sits in a chair in a flooded St. Mark's Square on November 13.

People walk past a stranded water taxi after it was washed from its mooring by the high tide.

A woman crosses a flooded St. Mark's Square on November 13, after an exceptionally high tide inundated the area overnight.

A woman walks her dog through a flooded street on November 13.

A general view shows a man crossing the flooded St. Mark's Square on November 13.

Police officers patrol a flooded St. Mark's Square during the high tide on November 12.

A man stands inside a restaurant barricaded from the flooding on November 12.

An employee of the Gritti Palace helps a customer navigate a flooded entrance on November 12.

A woman stands on a barrier during an exceptional "alta acqua" high tide on November 12.

People traverse a footpath built over the flood waters.

The entrance to St. Mark's Basilica is flooded on November 12.

People walk through flood waters in St. Mark's Square on Tuesday.

The high tide is seen near the Rialto Bridge in Venice.

A person photographs a flooded St. Mark's Square on November 12.

In photos: High tide floods Venice

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Brugnaro said it would cost hundreds of millions of euros to fix the city, telling reporters at a news conference that the damage was “enormous.”

Francesco Moraglia, the Patriarch of St Mark’s Basilica Monsignor, also told reporters: “I have never seen something like what I saw yesterday afternoon [Tuesday] at St. Mark’s square. There were waves as if we were at the beach.”

More rain and strong winds are expected in the coming days, according to Luca Zaia, the President of the Veneto Region.

Venice has seen the worst flooding in decades

Related article Venice still needs tourists, say locals devastated by floods

‘A night of fear’

“It’s a real catastrophe,” Stefano Bandini, a Venetian taxi driver told CNN. “I have never seen such a high tide accompanied with such a strong, destructive wind.”

Bandini explained that when the tide goes over 1.10 centimeters using the canals was prohibited for safety reasons but said many of his colleagues had taken people to check houses and shops. “We want to help each other now,” he said.

Andrea Di Masi, deputy director of the luxury hotel Baglioni, said furniture, carpets and pottery were removed from the ground floor on Tuesday as high-tide warnings had been issued.

Venice resident Elisa Aquina Laterza told CNN she lives near the Rialto Bridge. She posted on Twitter a video of sirens that alerted the population about the high tides on Tuesday night.

“Last night after the sirens went off we were without electricity. The windows banged with gusts of strong wind,” she said. “It was a night of fear and today we are blocked here at home with reduced public transport.”

Laterza said on Monday it was impossible to walk because of the floods. “Today I’ll try to venture out to help my neighbors,” she added.

People who lived through the 1966 flood say there wasn’t the strong wind then that there is now, Laterza said.

“I’ve only witnessed this historic flood but I must say that the situation is unprecedented and our city is our land and it needs help and support from all,” Laterza added.

People walk past a stranded gondola across the flooded Riva degli Schiavoni embankment and St. Mark's Square in the background.

45% flooded

On Tuesday, the Tide Forecasting and Reporting Center of Civil Protection said that 45% of the city was flooded. Thirty volunteers will be deployed Wednesday to help with the clean-up, it said.

Photos show waters flooding St. Mark’s Square in front of the famous Basilica, and spilling into the Gritti Palace luxury hotel.

Venice’s government announced that after the “extraordinary” tide, it would “submit a request for a state of emergency” to the country’s central government. All schools will be closed Wednesday due to the weather conditions, the local government said.

It also asked citizens and businesses to collect evidence of any damage their properties had suffered so they could request compensation.

In a tweet, Venice’s mayor Luigi Brugnaro blamed climate change for the unusually high tides, and said the tide was “a wound that will leave a permanent mark.”

Only around 53,000 residents live in Venice, which has seen its population dwindle over the past 50 years as it tries to curb over-tourism.

Tides of 140cm (55 inches) or more are known as “acqua alta” in Italian, and generally take place in winter time, according to Venice’s municipality website.

CNN’s Gianluca Mezzofiore, Laura Perez Maestro and Livia Borghese contributed to this report.