For centuries, the city of Venice has experienced flooding, high tides, and storm surges, but that all changed when the city experienced the worst flooding in over a decade this past November. Opinions among experts and sources continue to vary, but some experts have stated that the city could sink as soon as 2100.

Many experts have stated that the flooding is being caused by much more than just storm surges. There are many underlying natural causes that have been happening for thousands of years. According to QUARTZ, “… St Mark’s Square, now floods more than 60 times a year, up from four times a year in 1900.” This statement highlights how flooding in many parts of Venice has dramatically increased. This conveys that not only is Venice sinking, but that it’s sinking at a much greater rate than previously thought. Venice may not be the only city sinking; in fact, Venice is only the tip of the iceberg. According to QUARTZ “ … high tides may become a weekly reality for parts of the coastal US by the middle of the century, and a daily occurrence for major coastline cities by 2100.” In a few years, this may become a worldwide epidemic. Floods that used to occur for many only once or twice in a lifetime are now occurring every few years and becoming more and more common. In fact, scientists have already determined that the city is already sinking 5 times faster than originally thought, and the true scale of the events still may not be fully visible. 

Overall, many factors have contributed to the sinking of Venice. Whether it be climate change, plate tectonics, or tides, one thing is clear: Venice going under is not a matter of if, it’s a matter of when.