Drought in Venice: Authorities Report Dry Canals, Transport Chaos

Nearly 150 canals have dried up in Venice: the water level has dropped by half a meter due to strong tides and drought. The famous gondola rides are canceled. Scientists attribute the drying-up of the canals to a number of factors, including drought, a full moon, sea currents and high atmospheric pressure. Dry canals partially paralyzed the urban transport system.

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Passengers get off a gondola docked along a canal during a low tide in Venice, Italy. Some of Venice's secondary canals have practically dried up lately due a prolonged spell of low tides linked to a lingering high-pressure weather system.

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This photograph shows gondolas tied up in Venice Canal Grande, during a severe low tide in the lagoon city.

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A view of a dried canal during a low tide in Venice, Italy.

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Vaporettos are also under pressure. Vaporetto is a Venetian public waterbus. There are 19 different lines that operate within Venice.

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Scientists link the drought in the region to several factors at once - lack of precipitation, high atmospheric pressure, full moon and sea currents.

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Dried canals pose a challenge to Venetian Emergency Medical Services since there is a number of water ambulances.

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Sometimes ambulance drivers have to stop vehicles far from the patient's home and patients must be carried.

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People look at gondolas docked along a canal during a low tide in Venice, Italy.