High Tide Floods Venice

High tides have flooded Venice, leading Venetians and tourists to don high boots and use wooden walkways to cross St. Mark’s Square and other areas under water.

Flooding is common this time of year and Thursday’s level that reached a peak of 55 inches (140 centimeters) was below the 63 inches (160 centimeters) recorded four years ago in the worst flooding in decades.

Still some shops and ground-floor apartments were flooded.

Moveable barriers that would rise from the sea bed to protect Venice from high tides have been in the works for years but will not be operational before 2014.