Shocking Images As Venice Canals Run Dry

Canals in Venice have gone dry following weeks without rain.

Images from the city, famed for its waterways, show gondolas stuck on dry land near the Rialto Bridge due to a mixture of a lack of rain and low tides.

Water levels have been reported to be as much as 60cm lower than usual.

This is the third year that weird phenomenon has struck the city, causing traffic chaos as water-taxis and transportation on the canals grinds to a halt.

In stark contrast, the city has also been hit by floods in the past few years.

Speaking in 2015, when the canals ran dry, local experts told the Independent that it's not just down to weather conditions, but a lack of maintenance, too. According to the experts, residents are more concerned with flooding and, as a result, around €5 billion (£4.3bn) was spent on creating a flood barrier, meaning that less money is available for the routine removal of mud and sediment.

Studies suggest that the picturesque city is sinking at a rate of 1-2mm a year with many of the old staircases now ruined.

More to follow...