The alarm in Venice returns, but only partially: the new tide forecast for Friday was less intense than expected and therefore transit in Piazza San Marco was reopened in the evening, following the decrease of the tide level below 140 cm. The AVM/Actv navigation service also gradually resumed: the connections were reactivated with tide conditions "+95". Precisely because the situation is now relatively calmer, the Municipality of Venice is warning against messages that have gone viral on social networks on alleged alarmist predictions of tidal peaks for the next few hours: "These are completely baseless contents - warns a note from the Municipality - and citizens are invited to inquire only through official channels ".
"The Administration will monitor the existence of any fake messages - concludes the note - also evaluating the possibility of proceeding with complaints to the Judicial Authority for an alarm". The exceptional tides of these days in Venice (Tuesday 187 cm, Wednesday 144, Friday 154 cm) have broken several records: in fact, since 1872, two events of high water higher than 150 cm had occurred in the same year, much less in the same week. This was reported by the tide forecast center of the Municipality. Likewise, never since 1872 Venice had seen 3 tidal events higher than 140 cm in the same year, even more in the same week.
Meanwhile, the damage assessment continues. While the mayor of the lagoon city Luigi Brugnaro has been appointed emergency commissioner, it has been estimated that only the public transport company Actv has suffered damage estimated at almost 20 million euros. Not to mention the damage to the cultural heritage: "A census of the damage is underway, fortunately they are not irreparable but the damage is there", said the Minister for Cultural Heritage Dario Franceschini at the end of the inspection carried out together with the Patriarch Francesco Moraglia in the Basilica of San Marco. “The crypt has been flooded and the damage is being managed. Compared to the 20 million allocated in the Council of Ministers, much more is needed, we have decided to refinance the special law for Venice and to do everything possible not only in terms of resources but also in terms of rules because Venice is a city that requires special rules".
In addition to the Basilica of San Marco according to the minister "more than 50 churches have been damaged and flooded. We presented a amendment that will allow the extension of the Art Bonus, the tax incentive for those who donate for the recovery of the cultural heritage, also for all the ecclesiastical heritage in Venice”. Meanwhile, an amendment by the Democratic Party to the maneuver proposes an allocation of 200 million over the next two years for Venice.
