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'Historic Day': Venice Saved by Its Artificial Dikes

'Historic Day': Venice Saved by Its Artificial Dikes
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'Historic Day': Venice Saved by Its Artificial Dikes

'Historic Day': Venice Saved by Its Artificial Dikes

Venice conquered the flood on Saturday, thanks to the deployment, for the first time, of artificial dikes erected against the rising waters which, traditionally, submerge the famous Piazza San Marco, jewel of the Serenissima.

While they had put on waxed rubber boots, locals and tourists who came to observe the “acqua alta”, a particularly high tide flooding dozens of shops and hotels as well as the famous Saint Mark’s Square, were at their expense, AFP journalists observed on the spot.

“It’s much better for Venice. Today the stores remained open while yesterday many were closed. And we do not need to use the wooden bridges ”installed on the square, in front of the basilica, confided to AFP Eric Faure, a tourist from Perpignan (southwest of France).

The rise in water levels, which was expected to peak at midday, did not take place, held back by a new system of mobile dikes. Last year, on November 12, the rating reached 1.87 m above sea level, one of the highest measurements on record, and devastated the city.

Dozens of churches in the city, listed as a World Heritage Site, had been damaged.

The Patriarch of Venice, Francesco Moraglia, hailed “a day of hope”, while the president of the Association of Merchants in St. Mark’s Square spoke of “a historic day”.

“It’s just a small puddle,” said Claudio Vernier. “Normally, we should have had water up to our knees”.

Relief, therefore, for the Venetian craftsmen who have suffered enormously from the containment and the shutdown of cruise passenger activity due to the coronavirus pandemic.

“Yesterday the tide was much lower and the water was higher in the square. Today, the square is completely empty of water. It’s incredible ”, rejoiced Giovanni Fabris, a clothing merchant in Saint Mark’s Square.

Venice has only 50,000 inhabitants in its heart, but receives 36 million visitors each year, 90% of whom are foreigners who often disembark from huge ships, a windfall for some, a plague, and an unacceptable source of pollution for others.

The MOSE project (Moïse in Italian, Experimental electromagnetic module), inaugurated this year, is a complex engineering system allowing “waterproofing” of the Serenissima thanks to 78 dikes placed at the entry points of the lagoon.

It is a network of boxes filled with water, supposed to be able to rise in 30 minutes, to create a barrier capable of withstanding a rise in water three meters above normal.

Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte attended, in July, the official test of this anti-flood barrier, the controversial construction of which was interminable and costly.

Developed in the 1980s, the MOSE site started in 2003 and should have been ready four years ago. But it has fallen behind due to corruption scandals and overcosts, for a bill estimated at more than seven billion euros.

“Hopefully Moses continues to function well. This is how we can save Venice, ”said Nicoletta De Rossi, a 56-year-old Venetian on Saturday.

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A ‘Particularly Dangerous Situation’ Is Forecast for Fire-Scarred Los Angeles Area

An aerial view of a fire truck near homes destroyed in the Palisades Fire as wildfires cause damage and loss through the LA region on January 13, 2025 in Pacific Palisades, California. (Getty Images/AFP)
An aerial view of a fire truck near homes destroyed in the Palisades Fire as wildfires cause damage and loss through the LA region on January 13, 2025 in Pacific Palisades, California. (Getty Images/AFP)
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A ‘Particularly Dangerous Situation’ Is Forecast for Fire-Scarred Los Angeles Area

An aerial view of a fire truck near homes destroyed in the Palisades Fire as wildfires cause damage and loss through the LA region on January 13, 2025 in Pacific Palisades, California. (Getty Images/AFP)
An aerial view of a fire truck near homes destroyed in the Palisades Fire as wildfires cause damage and loss through the LA region on January 13, 2025 in Pacific Palisades, California. (Getty Images/AFP)

Millions of Southern Californians were on edge as a final round of dangerous fire weather was forecast for the region on Wednesday, along with a rare warning of a “Particularly Dangerous Situation” for an area near where two massive blazes have killed at least 25 and destroyed thousands of homes.

Firefighters got a reprieve Tuesday when winds were unexpectedly light and they were able to make progress battling the two huge Los Angeles area fires and quickly snuff out several new fires.

The Eaton Fire burning just north of Los Angeles and the Palisades Fire that destroyed much of the seaside LA neighborhood of Pacific Palisades broke out Jan. 7 in conditions similar to what’s expected Wednesday. High winds last week pushed flames at remarkable speed and carried fire-sparking embers sometimes miles away.

The National Weather Service issued red flag warnings – done when temperatures are warm, humidity is low and strong winds are expected – from 3 a.m. to 3 p.m. from the Central Coast 275 miles (443 kilometers) south to the border with Mexico. The “Particularly Dangerous Situation” was in effect for an area that includes parts of Los Angeles and Ventura counties.

“Key message: We are not out of the woods yet,” the weather service said in a post late Tuesday. “The winds underperformed today, but one more enhancement could happen tonight-tomorrow.”

More than 77,000 households were without electricity as utilities shut off power to prevent their lines from sparking new blazes.

A state of alert

Weary and anxious residents were told to be ready to flee at a moment’s notice. They remained vigilant, keeping an eye on the skies and on each other: Police announced roughly 50 arrests, for looting, flying drones in fire zones, violating curfew and other crimes.

Of those, three people were arrested on suspicion of arson after being seen setting small fires that were immediately extinguished, LA Police Chief Jim McDonnell said. One was using a barbecue lighter, another ignited brush and a third tried to light a trash can, he said. All were far outside the disaster zones. Authorities have not determined a cause for any of the major fires.

Among nine people charged with looting was a group that stole an Emmy award from an evacuated house, Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman said.

The biggest worry remained the threat from intense winds. Now backed by firefighters from other states, Canada and Mexico, crews were deployed to attack flareups or new blazes. The firefighting force was much bigger than a week ago, when the first wave of fires began destroying thousands of homes in what could become the nation's costliest fire disaster.

Kaylin Johnson and her family planned to spend the night at their home, one of the few left standing in Altadena, near Pasadena. They intended to keep watch to ward off looting and to hose down the house and her neighbors’ properties to prevent flareups.

Preparing for another outbreak

Planes doused homes and hillsides with bright pink fire-retardant chemicals, while crews and fire engines deployed to particularly vulnerable spots with dry brush.

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass and other officials who were criticized over their initial response expressed confidence that the region is ready to face the new threat. The mayor said she was able to fly over the disaster areas, which she described as resembling the aftermath of a “dry hurricane.”

Winds this time were not expected to reach the same fierce speeds seen last week but they could ground firefighting aircraft, LA County Fire Chief Anthony Marrone said.

He urged homeless people to avoid starting fires for warmth and to seek shelter.

Wildfires on the rise across LA

With almost no rain in more than eight months, the brush-filled region has had more than a dozen wildfires this year, mostly in the greater Los Angeles area.

Firefighters have jumped on small blazes that popped up, quickly smothering several in Los Angeles county, including a blaze Tuesday evening in the Angeles National Forest.

The four largest fires around the nation’s second-biggest city have scorched more than 63 square miles (163 square kilometers), roughly three times the size of Manhattan. Of these, the Eaton Fire near Pasadena was roughly one-third contained, while the largest blaze, in Pacific Palisades on the coast, was far less contained.

The death toll is likely to rise, according to Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna. Nearly 30 people were still missing, he said Tuesday. Some people reported as missing earlier have been found.

Just under 90,000 people in the county remained under evacuation orders, half the number from last week.

Hollywood on hold Hollywood’s awards season has been put on hiatus because of the crisis. The Oscar nominations have been delayed twice, and some organizations postponed their awards shows and announcements without rescheduling.