Drought And Heat Build Across Much Of Europe

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PARIS: "Persistent hot weather following months of low rainfall yesterday raised the spectre of serious drought in many parts of Europe. Authorities urged consumers to cut back on water usage and in many places imposed bans on hosepipes and sprinklers and prohibited filling swimming pools or washing automobiles. French Agriculture Minister Dominique Bussereau said the immediate problem was to get through the summer with minimal disruption. In the long run, he said, there was a need for serious debate about the long-term supply of water in France, where in some parts of the west of the country, restrictions on hose-pipe use have been on place since April.

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In Portugal, which was facing its worst drought in 60 years, conditions were described as extreme in half of the country by the national water institute. Wells have run dry in 25 villages, and trucks have been called in to supply 19,000 affected residents.
In Spain, which is suffering one of the driest years on record, reservoirs have shrunk to almost half their normal volume, fields are parched and forest fires pose a growing danger of desertification in the European country most affected by this problem. But Spanish Environment Minister Cristina Narbona was anxious to avoid sounding alarmist as the country’s critically important tourist season was about to get under way. She said water supplies to major urban centres was “guaranteed” at least until September.

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Despite torrential downpours that turned streams into torrents in northern Britain and flooded hundreds of basements in the Paris region earlier this week, there was no respite from the growing risk of drought. Meteorologists said freak rainfall dumped too much water in too short a time to replenish water tables. What was needed, they said, was a prolonged period of rain."

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