The drought in Italy that has lasted for months is still having a negative effect on the level of Italy’s longest river, the Po. In July, the average flow rate of the Po at Pontelagoscuro in the Adriatic region of Emilia Romagna was only 160.48 cubic meters per second. It was 32.29 percent lower than the previous negative record set in July 2006.
This year also set a new minimum flow record of just 104.3 cubic meters per second on July 24, according to the weekly report from the Observatory of Water Resources in Italy. The water level of the 652-kilometer-long Po River dropped so much that the saltwater seeped into the riverbed at the mouth of the sea for miles.
Cities limit water use
In some places the level is lower than in 70 years. Large lakes such as Lake Garda have significantly less water than usual at this time of year. Cities such as Pisa and Verona have recently restricted water use. Venice and Milan have disabled some of the fountains.
State of emergency due to water shortage
The Italian government declared a state of emergency in early July over water shortages in five northern Italian regions. The government in Rome has released €35 million for the regions of Piedmont, Lombardy, Veneto, Friuli Venezia Giulia and Emilia Romagna to limit the negative effects of the months-long drought.
Source: Krone
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
