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Another year of severe drought in Italy is looking increasingly likely, with Venice, a city usually more concerned with flooding, is experiencing unusually low tides, making it impossible for gondolas, water taxis and ambulances to navigate some of the famous waterways. On the programme we spoke to Davide Zanchettin, an associate professor of oceanography and atmospheric physics at the Ca' Foscari University of Venice. We asked him why it was happening, and what it meant for the city. He told Newsday: "This is a rare event in recent decades - but if we look further back into the past, the phenomenon is not so uncommon. It's not really linked to a drought in the sense of a lack of precipitation but is a combination of meteorological and astronomical factors. It's an inconvenience - it's like having snow on the streets of a regular city." (Photo credit: Manuel Silvestri, Reuters. Image shows: Boats pictured in a canal during a severe low tide in the lagoon city of Venice, Italy, February 17, 2023.)
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