The water in the Venetian canals looks clearer today while the coronavirus outbreak has kept visitors away from the floating city. As the world continues to grapple with coronavirus, the pandemic is having some unexpected side effects. Take Venice, one of Italy's biggest tourist attractions, which is usually heaving with visitors throughout the year.
Right now, though, the whole country is under lockdown as coronavirus continues to spread, and locals in Venice have noticed that the water in the city's canals has become much clearer, with small fish visible swimming around. Several people have uploaded photos to a Facebook group called Venezia Pulita (Clean Venice), attracting comments from other users. "Nature resumes its life....how beautiful," wrote Maria Lanaro. Another user, Villa Lory, said they wished the water was always this clear. "Marvelous there are even fish that we have the opportunity to see," they wrote.
Others saw it as a spot of light in the darkness of the pandemic. "What a marvel this Venice was; this virus brought something beautiful," said Katia Fameli.
But while it may look pretty, the Venice mayor's office told CNN that the change is not actually due to improved water quality. "The water now looks clearer because there is less traffic on the canals," a spokesman said.
