City officials say water measured more than two feet below average on Sunday.

市政府官員表示，週日測量的水量比起平均值更低了兩英尺以上

The low levels are being blamed on dry weather and tidal changes.

低水位的狀況被歸咎於氣候和潮汐改變。

CBS News foreign correspondent Chris Livesay joins us now from Rome to discuss this.

CBS 新聞海外記者 Chris Livesay 從羅馬加入一起討論這個主題。

Chris, it seems like⏤

Chris，似乎——

What was it, just a few months ago, we're talking about flooding in Venice getting worse; that's been happening over the past few years.

我們大概幾個月前才在討論 Venice 的淹水狀況惡化，那在過去幾年不斷發生。

So, how do you explain, now, the water, apparently, running dry, somewhat?

那現在該如何解釋水源似乎要漸漸乾涸了？

Yeah, Errol, well, you know, flooding is absolutely the bigger problem, the more long-term problem.

是的，Errol，淹水絕對是較大、較長遠的問題。

But it's sort of the same cause behind this low water that we're experiencing right now.

但是我們現在經歷低水位的背後原因基本上是相同的。

And then, there's tidal changes.

然後還有潮汐變化。

Tidal changes bring in that extreme water that Venetians call "acqua alta",

潮汐變化引發了威尼斯人所謂 acqua alta 的極端水位狀況，

and now, thanks to a lingering high-pressure system, you have what Venetians call "acqua bassa", the opposite of that low water.

而現在，歸因於持續的高壓系統，出現了威尼斯人所謂的 acqua bassa，亦即低水位現象的相反。

It's sucking that water out of Venetian canals, and it can actually be quite damaging, you know,

它正從威尼斯運河將水吸出，它其實可以是非常有破壞性的，

because, so long as the water is there, it's protecting those building foundations, you know, wooden pylons.

因為只要水還在，它就會繼續保護建築的地基、木塔。

Remember, Venice is this enchanting place in the middle of a lagoon in the middle of the sea⏤

要記得，維尼斯是在海中央、潟湖之中的迷人地點，

it... it really shouldn't be there.

它其實真的不應該存在。

And, so, it had to be reinforced by pylons and brick foundations in order to have these buildings.

所以它必須由木塔和磚頭地基強化以擁有這些建築物。

I mean, so long the water is there, it kind of keeps everything in place.

我是說，只要那裡還有水，就會將一切鞏固在位。

But as soon as it recedes, like we're seeing now, well, then, you can introduce corrosion.

但水位一但如同我們現在看到的消退，那就會出現侵蝕狀況。

Because now, all of a sudden, oxygen can access those wooden pylons and those brick foundations.

因為氧氣現在突然可以接觸到這些木架和磚頭地基。

And, over time, it can lead to some severe structural damage.

隨著時間推移，它可能引起一些嚴重的結構破壞。

And⏤I'm looking at these images, and I have to think that there is going to be a major impact on Venice's economy,

而且——我正在看這些影像，我不得不想，這對維尼斯的經濟一定會造成大衝擊，

not just in terms of tourism, but also just day-to-day for Venetians.

不僅僅是觀光業，還有威尼斯人的日常生活。

Yeah, absolutely, day-to-day⏤it certainly makes things more complicated.

對，沒錯，它的確讓日常生活變得更複雜。

It's already a complicated city to live in⏤you can't drive a car, getting around can be a lot slower, you have to do things by foot or by boat.

就居住而言，它已經是個複雜的城市了，人民無法開車，所以前往各地都可以較慢，你得走路或搭船。

And now, as you can see, a lot of boats are grounded; they're sitting inside canals that have been transformed into these soggy, muddy pits.

而現在，如同你們所見，許多船隻都擱淺了，停靠在變成潮濕泥土地的運河裡。

And, so, things like ambulances, buses⏤everything, you know, the post office can't deliver its mail, you know, ambulances can't save people as quickly as they might normally be able to.

所以像是救護車、公車——所有的一切——郵局無法寄送郵件、救護車無法跟平常一樣快速地救援人民。

I know that, previously, the regional government had worked to respond to the flooding, making sure they can pump water out.

我知道過去地方政府曾經致力於做出淹水回應，確保他們可以將水抽出。

I'm wondering how they plan to respond to this opposite issue and what they may suggest doing.

我想知道的是，他們計畫如何因應這個相反的問題以及他們可能建議怎麼做。

Right, well, I mean, that's a multi-billion project you're referring to, known as MOSEs, like the biblical figure who literally parted the seas,

好，你剛剛提到的是稱為 MOSE 的數十億計畫，名稱就如同聖經中分海的人物 Moses，

and that's⏤this system of dykes that's outside of Venice, right where the lagoon meets the sea,

那是在維尼斯之外的大壩系統，在潟湖和海水交接處，

they've been working on it for decades, and only in recent years have they finally been able to activate it.

他們已經施工數十年，是在近幾年才終於能夠啟動它。

But, as you said, Errol, it's to prevent water from coming into the city.

但 Errol，如同你所說的，那是要避免海水進入城市中。

When they have the opposite problem, right now, of "acqua bassa"⏤low water⏤they best thing they can do is wait.

當他們現在遭遇相反的 acqua bassa 低水位狀況，他們最好的因應方式就是等待。

And, fortunately, there is some precipitation expected over the next day⏤in fact, for the following week.

幸運地是，接下來一天之間預計會有降雨，甚至一整週。

There is high precipitation expected⏤that's desperately needed.

高降雨量是預期之中，也是急迫需要的。

And, also, the tides are expected to shift and bring that water⏤desperately⏤back into the city.

此外，潮汐也預期會有變動，將急迫需要的水分重新帶回城裡。

But, I need to emphasize, you know, these extremes we're seeing between high tide and low tide⏤

但我需要強調的是，我們到的高、低潮間極端變化——

environmental experts tend to agree that they've been exacerbated; this extreme between high and low has all been exacerbated by climate change.

環境專家們普遍認同它們被加劇了，這高、低之間的極端都被氣候變遷加劇了。

Wow, and it's just remarkable, looking at those images, those dried-up canals, which, you know, everyone wants to take pictures of and enjoy.

哇，光是看著這些大家都想拍照並欣賞的影像與乾涸的運河，真的太驚人了。

But very serious for the locals and the economy there.

但對於當地居民和經濟是很嚴重的。

Chris Livesay, thanks for joining us.

Chris Livesay，謝謝你加入我們。