Venice Canals Run Dry As Italy Faces A Drought Alert Again

The Po, Italy's longest river, which runs from Alps in the northwest to the Adriatic, has 61% less water than usual at this time of year. In 2022, the river experienced its worst drought in 70 years.

A general view of a dry canal in Venice, Italy, on February 16, 2023.

Source : Getty

Italy is reportedly facing the possibility of another drought after experiencing weeks of a dry winter weather. The Alps, an essential source of water, have received less than half of their usual snowfall, increasing fears following last summer's emergency, according to environmental groups and scientists, news agency Reuters reported. The dry weather has resulted in severe water shortages in Italian rivers and lakes, particularly in the north of the country, the report said, quoting the Legambiente environmental group.

Meanwhile, Venice is facing an unusual problem with unusually low tides impeding navigation for gondolas, water taxis, and ambulances, according to the report. Lack of rain, a high-pressure system, a full moon, and sea currents are all contributing factors to the problem.

The Po, Italy's longest river, which runs from the Alps in the northwest to the Adriatic, has 61% less water than usual at this time of year, Legambiente said. Last July, Italy declared a state of emergency in areas surrounding the Po, which accounts for around a third of the country's agricultural production and experienced its worst drought in 70 years. According to reports, farmers had complained last year that the flow of the river in certain stretches was so weak that sea water was seeping inland and destroying their crops.

Environmental groups are warning of a similar situation this year too.

"We are in a water deficit situation that has been building up since the winter of 2020-2021," Massimiliano Pasqui, a climate expert from the Italian scientific research institute CNR, told local daily Corriere della Sera, as reported by Reuters. Pasqui said they needed 50 days of rain to “recover 500 millimetres in the north-western regions”.

Lake Garda, located in northern Italy, has experienced record low water levels, allowing access to the small island of San Biagio via an exposed pathway.

An anticyclone has dominated western Europe's weather for the past 15 days, bringing milder temperatures typical of late spring. The latest weather forecasts, however, indicate the arrival of much-needed rain and snow in the Alps in the coming days.