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As high tides surge through Venice, locals rush to protect art

A woman tries to cross a flooded street as people walk on a trestle bridge during high water, in Venice, northern Italy, Friday, Nov. 15, 2019. Exceptionally high tidal waters returned to Venice on Friday, prompting the mayor to close the iconic St. Mark’s Square and call for donations to repair the Italian lagoon city just three days after it experienced its worst flooding in 50 years. (Andrea Merola/ANSA via AP)

VENICE, Italy (AP) — Exceptionally high tidal waters rolled relentlessly through Venice again on Friday, forcing the closure of St. Mark’s Square to the public and flooding most of the lagoon city’s already devastated center before easing.

Forecasters warned that the danger for more wind-propelled high tides remained through the weekend.

The Italian government issued an international appeal for donations to help repair damage to the centuries-old city’s rich cultural heritage after Tuesday’s floods, which were the worst in decades.

People can donate 2 euros by sending a text message to a special number Culture Minister Dario Franceschini said.

“All the world loves this splendid city, let them show it now,” he said in a statement.

A senior port authority official wrote to major cruise ship companies to for donations.

Massive cruise liners disgorge thousands of day-trippers into Venice on a near-daily basis, boosting its economy but also risking accidents with smaller vessels.

Late Tuesday, Venice water levels reached 6 feet, 1 inch above sea level, the highest flooding since 1966.

On Friday, 10 minutes before noon, the tide peaked at 5 feet above sea level. Six hours later, it had receded to some two feet.

Built on a series of tiny islets amid a system of canals, Venice is particularly vulnerable to a combination of rising sea levels due to climate change coupled with the city’s well-documented sinking into the mud. The sea level in Venice is 4 inches .higher than it was 50 years ago, according to the city’s tide office.

More than 50 churches have reported damage from the tides, Minister Franceschini said as he inspected the city. Carabinieri officers from the corps’ world-renowned and highly-trained squad of art experts were being deployed to map damage to art treasures, a job that is expected to take some time.

“While the water is still there, it’s difficult to know what the (full) damage is,” Franceschini said.

The minister called on lawmakers of all political stripes to quickly approve extending tax breaks for those who donate to help restore state monuments and artworks and also for those who contribute for Venice’s damaged churches.

“There are so many churches which have suffered damage and were invaded by water,” Franceschini. Likely the most heavily damaged was St. Mark’s Basilica, since it is in one of the lowest points of the city.

At the government’s request, the Italian Space Agency was gathering radar data from satellites to detect any signs that Venice bell towers may have shifted or that their foundations might have weakened after being buffeted countless times over the centuries by fast-rising waters.

On Thursday, the government declared a state of emergency, approving 20 million euros to help Venice repair the most urgent damage.

Venice Mayor Luigi Brugnaro has estimated damage at hundreds of millions of euros and blamed climate change for the city’s plight.

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