Journalism of Courage
Some of Venice's canals have dried up due to a prolonged spell of drought and severe low tides, leading to frustrated boat crews and tourists. In this picture, boats lay in a dry canal in the city in Italy. (Photo: Reuters)
Weeks of dry winter weather have raised concerns that Italy could face another drought after last summer's emergency, with the Alps having received less than half of their normal snowfall, according to scientists and environmental groups. The problems in Venice are being blamed on a combination of factors -- the lack of rain, a high pressure system, a full moon and sea currents.(Photo: AP)
The drying up of canals, which have always served as streets in a car-less city of Venice, has caused several challenges to commuters who rely on water taxis, gondolas and emergency boats for travelling from one place to another. Here, people can be seen looking at gondolas that have been docked along a canal. (Photo: AP)
For tourists, it has meant that gondolas could not navigate some secondary waterways that used to run under Venice's picturesque bridges. (Photo: AP)
Moreover, ambulance boats are being tied farther away from their destination, thereby forcing medical personnel to carry stretchers themselves. (Photo: AP)
The occurrence of low tides suggests the lack of attention to the overdue need for cleaning the city's inner canal network. (Photo: AP)
The picture shows smaller channels with a low water levels, exposing the foundations of buildings which earlier were hidden under water. (Photo: AP)
Last July, Italy had declared a state of emergency for areas surrounding the Po, the country's longest river, which accounts for roughly a third of the country's agricultural production and suffered its worst drought for 70 years. (Photo: AP)
