by InTrieste
Late Wednesday night, shortly after 10 p.m., a surge in high tides tested flood-prevention systems in Muggia, a small coastal town south of Trieste, as local authorities moved to protect the historic center from seawater intrusion.
The municipality had issued a warning earlier in the afternoon through social media, alerting residents to the expected rise in water levels. When the tide peaked, municipal workers and the local Civil Protection unit installed temporary flood barriers along the Mandracchio harbor. The barriers, which have been used in previous high-water events, proved effective in containing the water and preventing the kind of disruption experienced before their adoption.
Mayor Paolo Polidori was present at the site during the evening. He said that without the barriers, seawater would likely have flowed into the historic center, causing inconvenience though not serious damage. A small amount of water accumulated at the outset, he explained, when pressure against the barriers was still limited. As water levels increased, the system became more effective.
“The higher the water, the more effective the barrier,” Mr. Polidori said, noting that the latest episode offered further confirmation of the system’s reliability. City officials are now considering expanding similar defenses to other areas considered vulnerable to flooding.
