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Dry July continues: Europe heatwaves and drought affect water levels

High temperatures and the severest drought in decades are wreaking havoc on water levels in rivers, lakes and reservoirs across western Europe and impacting tourism, freight, drinking water supplies and crops as the summer heatwaves roll on.

High temperatures and the severest drought in decades are wreaking havoc on water levels in rivers, lakes and reservoirs across western Europe and impacting tourism, freight, drinking water supplies and crops as the summer heatwaves roll on.

The Doubs River on the French-Swiss border has reduced to a trickle or a dry bed in places, while in Andalucia, southern Spain, farmers are facing a reduced olive oil yield and trucks are delivering water to dozens of villages without water.

In Germany, cargo vessels cannot sail fully loaded along the Rhine River, a major artery for freight and tourism. Along Italy’s longest river, the Po, large sandbanks dry in the sun as water levels recede. 

On 9 August, Britain’s weather service issued an amber ‘Extreme Heat’ warning for parts of England and Wales, with no respite in sight from hot dry conditions that have sparked fires, broken temperature records and strained the nation’s infrastructure.

The amber warning — the second-most severe after red — covers much of the southern half of England and parts of eastern Wales and will be in place from Thursday to the end of Sunday, the UK Met Office said.

Temperatures are expected to peak at 35 Celsius on Friday and may hit 36C in some places on Saturday.

The warning follows the driest July in England since 1935, when temperatures rose above 40C for the first time, turning a renewed spotlight on the impacts of climate change.

Other European nations have also recently faced scorching heatwaves with temperatures often exceeding 40C.

Britain, which is less used to such high temperatures, has struggled to cope. 

July’s heatwave caused power outages, damaged airport runways, buckled rail tracks and ignited dozens of blazes in London, where the fire brigade faced its busiest week since World War II.

As France contends with a fourth heatwave this week, many scientists say the blistering temperatures so far this summer are in line with the increasing frequency and intensity of extreme weather episodes in Europe.

Via Reuters