VIDEO. In Venice, the city’s canals are dry

Tuesday, February 21, in Venice (Italy), the water almost completely receded, leaving motorboats and gondolas at a standstill. For a few days, Venice has not had much of the postcard. A tourist testifies: “Really, the smell is horrible, it had more charm before.” A very strong smell of sewage in certain places which accompanies the gondoliers who are struggling on the water. This phenomenon is mainly linked to high tides. However, this year, it is aggravated by the lack of rain and especially the high pressure present in the Mediterranean for several weeks.

“A security problem”

In the streets, the Venetians exchange information on the sequel. For them, this water level is a real source of concern. A resident says: “I see it as a security issue. If someone needs an ambulance, it can’t get here.” On the grand canal, they can still circulate, like the traditional “vaporettos”, the buses of Venice. On the spot, the journalist Raphaële Schapira, correspondent of France Télévisions in Italy, specifies that “The situation should return to normal within three or four days”.