Venice, Italy, is situated upon 118 small islands that are separated by canals and linked by bridges. After a series of heavy storms, much of the city has been flooded this week as high tide rose to more than 61 inches (156 cm) above average sea level. At least 11 people have been killed due to storms across the country, and flood waters in many of Venice's streets reached knee height at the beginning of the week. With tide waters expected to rise to perilous levels in the coming decades, the city has constructed 78 giant steel gates across the three inlets through which water from the Adriatic could surge into Venice’s lagoon