Rock structure which served as backdrop to countless proposals disappears into the Adriatic after storm
The famous arch of the sea stacks at Sant’Andrea in Melendugno, Puglia, Italy, popularly known as Lovers’ Arch, collapsed on Valentine’s Day after strong storm surges and heavy rain swept across southern Italy.
The rocky arch, one of the best-known natural landmarks on the Adriatic coast, got its name as it served as a backdrop for wedding proposals, selfies and postcards, and was one of the most recognisable symbols of the Salento, one of Italy’s most heavily visited tourist areas.
“It is a devastating blow to the heart,” said Melendugno’s mayor, Maurizio Cisternino. “One of the most famous tourist features of our coastline and of the whole of Italy has disappeared.”
Is this an omen of some kind? Maybe I’m being microstitious.
An omen that we can’t fight water.
When water rises, we cannot fight it, there will be mass migrations as coastal cities become unlivable with constant storm surges and rising sea levels in the coming decades.