Strange story: Venice canals are bare, tourists are stranded on the shore

Coming to Venice, Italy is to take a gondola ride to see the ancient city from the canals. However, in recent days, many famous canals in the tourist paradise of Venice have dried up due to the winter drought.

Tourists look at the dry canal and the famous gondola that is stranded

CNN

The canals that serve as Venice’s streets are car-free, so the drying up has added to the challenges of daily life in the world’s most romantic city. Ambulance boats have in some cases had to anchor further away, forcing medical teams to carry stretchers long distances by hand because the boats cannot enter the water-filled, foul-smelling canals.

For tourists , the shallow canals also mean that gondolas cannot weave their way into the smaller waterways that run under Venice's many picturesque bridges. Navigation takes place only on the wider main canals, including the Grand and Giudecca canals.

According to CNN , dry weather for weeks of winter has raised concerns that Italy could face a severe drought, as snowfall in the Alps has fallen by less than half of normal.

Venice's dry canals are being blamed on a number of factors, including a lack of rain. However, environmentalists also say the city has failed to clean up its inner canal network.

Water levels in the canal are expected to drop further.

CNN

Italy's rivers and lakes are suffering from a severe water shortage, especially in the north of the country, according to the environmental group Legambiente. The Po, Italy's longest river, which runs from the Alps in the northwest to the Adriatic, has 61% less water than normal for this time of year.

Last July, Italy declared a state of emergency for areas around the Po River, which accounts for about a third of the country's agricultural output and is suffering its worst drought in 70 years.

Water levels on Lake Garda in northern Italy have dropped to record lows, making it possible to reach the small island of San Biagio by open road.

Before drying up, small canals filled with water helped visitors get deep into the city.

NTT

Forecasters in Venice say water levels could drop even lower in the next few days, meaning tourists will continue to be stranded on the banks and unable to access the city’s inner canals for sightseeing.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/chuyen-la-nhung-dong-kenh-o-venice-tro-day-du-khach-mac-ket-tren-bo-185230222083435849.htm