The water level in the Venetian lagoon had risen again that evening. Aware of the increased level of threat, the motor-boat we were in, speedily navigated the overflowing canals towards the Venice city center. We all huddled together in the glass enclosure on the upper deck. A quiet but persistent rain slithered on the glass around us, conjuring up visions of the city of Venice. Visions that were mythic, and also imminent. Bringing to mind John Ruskin's ruminations, "The rate at which...
more »The water level in the Venetian lagoon had risen again that evening. Aware of the increased level of threat, the motor-boat we were in, speedily navigated the overflowing canals towards the Venice city center. We all huddled together in the glass enclosure on the upper deck. A quiet but persistent rain slithered on the glass around us, conjuring up visions of the city of Venice. Visions that were mythic, and also imminent. Bringing to mind John Ruskin's ruminations, "The rate at which Venice is going is about that of a lump of sugar in hot tea."
Today, the critical level of global warming, resulting in rising global sea level has accelerated the submersion rate of Venice, compounding its gradual sinking over the centuries owing to the normal settling of lagoon sediments. The increased frequency of waves, tides and storms have led to a steep rise in flooding events in the city. The rising sea levels have dramatically accelerated the water management problems in Venice and are expected to become so severe that they exceed the capacity of human preservation efforts.
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