Venice’s sea-level setting has always made it a watery hostage to the vagaries of wind and tide. Today the area of city affected by flooding is over three times greater than it was only half a century ago. And yet, contrary to the received wisdom, Venice is not sinking- or at least not any more.
History of flooding in Venice- Venice has always been prone to inundation. An early chronicle recalls how in AD 589

the water changed their usual course and the whole land took on the appearance of a marsh

In 885 a report spoke of water

invading the whole city, penetrating the houses and the churches

In 1250, according to a contemporary,

vthe water rose from eight o’clock until midday. Many were drowned in their houses or simply died of the cold

Over the centuries, high tides have continued to cause frequent flodding in the low lying parts of the city. The most famous deluge was on 14 November, 1966, when the city was flodded to a depth of nearly two meters. The mayor of Venice said of the flood

On that single night…our city aged fifty years

The cause of the floods is simple- high tides, coupled with southeasterly winds, fill Venice and the lagoon to overflowing. Deepening of shipping lanes has altered tides and currents. And the churning of boats, has led to the erosion of the sea-bed.The chief culprit, however, has been the extraction of water to service the factories of Marghera.