Waterlogged Venice sign of things to come

Acqua alta, or high water, is more or less a fall-winter fact of life for the Italian city of Venice, which suffers flooding on a yearly basis.

Normally for residents, and those visiting the UNESCO World Heritage city during the colder months of the year, it is just water splashing over canal banks, or bubbling up through drains in the popular St. Mark's Square.

This year, however, St. Mark's Square is completely under water. In what is the worst flooding in 50 years, and the second-worst since record-keeping began in 1923, 85 percent of Venice has reportedly been flooded. A state of emergency has been declared.