Gondolas stranded in Venice as Italy faces danger of new drought

Venice tourists may have to scrap their plans for romantic gondola rides — as the famed City of Water is in for a dry spell.

The iconic rowing boats have been left stranded after a winter of little rain and snow resulted in unusually low water levels in the canal-filled northeastern city.

Concerns also have mounted that Italy could be in for another drought after last summer’s emergency, according to the outlet, which cited scientists and environmental groups.

In addition to the lack of precipitation, arid conditions in Venice are being blamed on a high-pressure system, a full moon, low tides and unfavorable sea currents.

Gondolas and water buses known as vaporettos have been left high and dry as a result.

Video posted by Local Team shows boats stranded on dried-up canals in the city where flooding is normally the main concern.

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On Monday, the Legambiente environmental group said rivers across Italy have been affected by a severe lack of water — including the Po, the country’s longest, which has 61% less water than normal at this time of year, Reuters reported.

“We are in a water deficit situation that has been building up since the winter of 2020-2021,” climate expert Massimiliano Pasqui from the Italian National Research Council told the daily Corriere della Sera.

“We need to recover 500mm [20 inches] in the northwestern regions. We need 50 days of rain,” he told the news outlet.

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In northern Italy, water levels also have fallen to record lows, making it possible to reach the small island of San Biagio on the lake using an exposed path.

“Nothing has changed since 2022,” Luca Mercalli, president of the Italian Meteorological Society, told the Guardian.

“We are still in a situation of deficit … let’s wait for the spring, which is usually the rainiest period for the Po valley. There is a good possibility that rainfall in April and May can compensate — it’s the last hope,” he said.

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“If we have no spring rain for two consecutive years, then it would be the first time this has ever happened,” Mercalli added.

Alessandro Bratti, president of the Po basin authority, said the situation was most serious in Piedmont and Lombardy, while in Trentino it was affecting the production of hydroelectric power.

“If you have no water, you cannot produce energy, so this is another problem,” Bratti told the Guardian. “It is very critical because it hasn’t snowed or rained during this period and the forecast says it will stay this way.”