Greetings, loyal minions. Your Maximum Leader has, in this space and to anyone who will listen, shared his desire to go to Venice for Christmas. He’s read that November to February is the worst time to visit Venice if you are concerned about the acqua alta (or “high water” as the Venetians call it). But he figured that when the time came, he’d just risk it…

Well… The time to visit is not December 2008. This is because your Maximum Leader would risk the unholy wrath of Mrs Villain if he just packed up and went. The second reason is because the worst acqua alta in a decade has hit the city.

Kevin directs us to the Times of London which writes:

Sirens sounded across Venice yesterday as flooding submerged 95 per cent of the city and left tourists in St Mark’s Square thigh-deep in water.

The highest water levels in more than 20 years paralysed services. Elderly residents were carried to high ground and some people took to the piazzas in inflatable dinghies.

As the water retreated it left a layer of sludge and debris. There were fears of more flooding, with another surge into the city from the Adriatic predicted today as high tides coincide with bad weather. Temperatures in the past few days have barely risen above freezing.

“Venice is completely paralysed,” one official said. “We are submerged.” Massimo Cacciari, the Mayor of Venice, advised residents and tourists to avoid moving around unless it was unavoidable. “Anyone thinking of coming should think again,” he said. “These are exceptionally high waters. Don’t venture out unless it is necessary.”

Driven by strong winds and heavy rain, the water rose to just over 5ft above sea level, the highest acqua alta since the 5ft 2in (1.6m) of 1986. The tide monitoring centre gave warning that the levels could yet reach a 30-year high.The water reached 6ft 4in above sea level in 1966, causing devastation to homes, shops and historic monuments and artworks.

Oy! Your Maximum Leader has got to get to Venice before it is completely subsumed by the lagoon.

Thanks to the AP you have photos of the flooding:

Here is a link to the whole AP photo slideshow.

Carry on.

UPDATE - Link to now expanded slide show should be working.