Venice's famous canals have almost completely dried up

When you think of a trip to Venice, you probably imagine romantic gondola rides down canals as an Italian man serenades you and your beau with beautiful love songs, correct?

However, these days you'll be lucky if you find a stretch of canal with enough water to row a boat through.

The iconic waterways of Venice, Italy have started to run dry, which is making it impossible for water taxis and boat ride services to operate.

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The popular tourist destination has recently been experiencing year-on-year periods of drought, with this year looking increasingly likely to follow suit with record lows.

The city, which is usually more concerned over risks of flooding, is currently experiencing low tides and leaving behind sludgy puddles rather than tranquil bodies of water.

The severe droughts are also affecting other areas of Italy, including the beautifully scenic Lake Garda, which has reached record lows.

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In 2022, Italy suffered the worst drought it has seen in over 70 years, causing for a 'state of emergency' to be declared in some areas of the country.

Climate expert, Massimiliano Pasqui from Italian scientific research institute CNR, said last year that the country was in a 'water deficit situation that has been building up since the winter of 2020-2021' and that they needed to have '50 days of rain' to recover.

Speaking on the worrying depletion in Venice's waters, associate professor of oceanography and atmospheric physics, Davide Zanchettin told BBC 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."

He also added that this build up of atmospheric pressure caused by the earth, sun and moon can lead to either too much or too little water.

Other contributing factors towards the lack of water are also a full moon and sea currents.

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Zanchettin also described the events as 'an inconvenience - it's like having snow on the streets of a regular city'.

This means that it can cause difficulties with transportation, as some canals are too shallow to be used as ways of getting around the city.

This lack of viable routes can then become an issue for emergency services due to increased traffic in other areas.