After the disastrous high water in Venice has begun a dispute over the lack of flood protection of the Unesco world heritage city. A billion-dollar project for flood protection should actually be already finished, but scandals and sluggish bureaucracy delayed the construction of more and more.

Hoteliers defendant accommodation, serious damage to the tourists. Many tourists had cancelled their trips, said Laura Ferretto from the hotel Association Federalberghi Veneto on Thursday. “There were so many promises and nothing was done,” she said with reference to flood protection.

The project, called “Moses” – which is short for Modulo Sperimentale elettro meccanico – is supposed to go into operation in 2014. Huge, retractable barriers are designed to stop at three entrances to the lagoon the high water.

more than 15 years Ago, the Work, the cost of almost six billion Euro began. A corruption scandal has delayed the controversial mammoth work, however. Also, there has always been criticism that an intervention in the sensitive Ecosystem of the lagoon more damage than use.

After the disastrous images of the destruction, politicians rushed to assure that the project will in the coming year. “In recent years there have been many scandals. There were severe delays”, said infrastructure Minister Paola De Micheli, in a radio interview. Now, were up 93 percent.

Conte promises support

the Prime Minister, Giuseppe Conte promised his support. But the skepticism is great. “Moses” already bears the name of “the great Unfinished business”. The water level was driven by a fierce Wind in the night to Wednesday at 187 inches above the normal sea level has risen – this was the highest value since a disastrous flood in 1966 and it means that more than 80 percent of the historic city under water. On Thursday, the situation eased a little. In the morning 113 inches were measured, but new storms should pull.

scientists attribute the increasing flooding in Venice on climate change, the sea level rise. “The high water in Venice brings the Problem of the absolute inertia of the surface, with the approach in Italy, the phenomenon of sea-level rise,” said Luigi Merlo from the trade Association Confcommercio.

Many of the large cruise ships, the depth of navigation channels will need for the journey, for a risk that the drops in addition to the city.

And so need to go to the pictures of a completely flooded St. mark’s Basilica to the world that Italy is again aware of the problem. Cultural monuments had been drawn by the salty, dirty water affected, said Minister of culture Dario Franceschini, and spoke of an “emergency”. Works of art in collections or Material in archives and libraries, however, were, according to initial findings, not damaged.

residents shocked

While tourists take Selfies with the masses of water made, were the residents shocked. “I haven’t seen it yet. It is a disaster. It is like a war. We’ve known it,” said the Venetians, Ezio Toffolutti of the news Agency DPA. Shops and supermarkets are all on the ground floor, it caught so bad. Dangerous electrical cables. “A terrible time”, said the stage designer.

he Also criticized the flood protection system “Mose”. The project was “stupid”. “Anyone who knows the lagoon, white, that you can’t close the lagoon is to me the concrete.” Many Venetians accuse politicians, to have the city’s tourism and cruise businesses sold and to not really care about the protection. (sda/red)

Created: 14.11.2019, 15:53 PM