Venice's mayor, Luigi Brugnaro, is set to declare a state of emergency after the city has been struck by the highest tide in more than 50 years, with further significant flooding and damage likely to occur in the coming days.
Flooding in the lagoon city hit its second highest level ever in the wake of the "Acqua Alta," or high waters, reaching 1.87 meters late on Tuesday night in the midst of heavy rain, just below the previous 1.94 meters record-high flooding in 1966.
About 85% of Venice was submerged, officials said, including the ancient basilica and many of its squares and alleyways. While on Wednesday morning the water level dropped slightly, another surge of water whipped up by high winds swept later in the day, reaching a level of 1.60 meters.
The mayor said that the flooding left "a wound that will leave indelible signs," saying the damage would cost "very high." He tweeted: "We ask the government to help us. This is the result of climate change."
St. Mark's Square was flooded with more than one meter deep, while the St. Mark's Basilica beside it was overflowing with water for the sixth time in 1,200 years. In the past two decades, this is the fourth time the basilica has been damaged. In November 2018, the last flood caused an estimated €2.2 million in damage.
The governor of the Veneto region, Luca Zaia, described the scene as an "apocalyptic devastation," saying the city was destroyed. He added that the artworks, the basilica, the shops, the homes, and some priced heritage sites were in serious damage. Venice is bracing itself for yet another strong high tide, he told reporters.
Brugnaro also promised to complete the multibillion-euro project "Moses," designed in 1984 to protect Venice from high tides but it is still not yet in operation. Work began in 2003 but it has been delayed many times due to a corruption scandal in 2014.
The head of the Venice Hotels Association said the major damage closed many hotels. The establishments were losing power and missing water pumps. Water rose Tuesday night and hotel guests in the first floor rooms had to be evacuated to higher floors.
At the famous Gritti Palace, the bar was largely underwater. The place has been a host to royals and celebrities over the decades, including Ernest Hemingway, Elizabeth Taylor, and Richard Burton, but now their rich tapestries, velvet sofas, and leather-bound books were piled on top of tables.
The overnight tidal surge also started several blazes, including a fire at the International Gallery of Modern Art Ca' Pesaro. Other areas were bombarded by large crashing waves hammering boats docked along the Doge's Palace and overflowing onto the sidewalks.
Most of Italy has been visited by heavy rains in the past week that also caused flooding in the southern parts of the country. Officials are still expecting bad weather forecast in the coming weeks and are preparing their major cities for any catastrophe.