Venice Is Sinking And Flooding

"For centuries the hub of a fabled maritime empire, Venice today has lost half its population and relies on strangers for survival. For the estimated 12 million tourists who visit annually, a sloshy St. Mark's Square may seem part of the fluid city's charm. But for residents and those who want to preserve Venice as a living city, the floods are disastrous....Between rising sea levels and dropping land levels, the city has lost more ground in the last century than in the previous millennium. Now, a debate over how to save the city once again surges, pitting environmentalists against big business against engineers, with the only agreement being that something must be done, and soon....Children can't get to school, adults can't go to work. If the water rises above a certain level, Venice's sleek, black gondolas -- and more important, its fireboats, ambulances, and water taxis -- cannot reach destinations because they can't pass under bridges."

Thanks to Connie Chung