Venice's Flooding Season

The Italian city of Venice, known for its picturesque canals, is also prone to flooding from high tides, a problem heightened by the city's gradual sinking. As the Associated Press reports today:

Flooding is common this time of year and Thursday's level that reached a peak of 55 inches (140 centimeters) was below the 63 inches (160 centimeters) recorded four years ago in the worst flooding in decades.

Below, a collection of Reuters photos from this year's flood season:

People sit on chairs in a flooded St. Mark's Square on Nov. 1. (Manuel Silvestri/Reuters)

A fruit stand at a local market is seen in a flooded street on Nov. 1. (Manuel Silvestri/Reuters)

Tourists walk on raised platforms for flood waters in St. Mark's Square on Oct. 27. (Manuel Silvestri/Reuters)

This isn't the first year that Venice residents and tourists have adapted to seasonal high tide. Below, some images from past years.

Tourists walk on a raised platform in St. Mark's Square on Nov. 26, 2010. (Manuel Silvestri/Reuters)

A gondolier pulls his craft gently through the arch of a Venice bridge on April 20, 2008. (Manuel Silvestri/Reuters)