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Posted by: Daniela Socolovschi

News / International

11 July 2020 / 15:25

Venice tests billion-dollar anti-flood system

Venice conducted the first trial of a controversial new dam system made up of 78 inflatable barriers to protect the lagoon city from severe flooding on Friday, dw.com reports.

Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte traveled to Venice for the ceremony, and pressed a button that activated compressors to pump air into the yellow barriers. All 78 barriers were successfully raised from the sea.

The trial run lasted a total of 90 minutes. According to officials, at full capacity the barriers could rise in 30 minutes.

The movable flood gates are attached by hinges to cement blocks on the seabed along three openings from the sea into the lagoon. When flooding or high-tide is no longer a threat, water is pumped into the gates for ballast, causing them to sink again.

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