- Italy’s government has declared a state of emergency due to the severe drought in five regions of the country.
- Affected until December 31st: Lombardy, Piedmont, Emilia-Romagna, Veneto and Friuli-Venezia Giulia.
The Council of Ministers met on Monday evening, announced the office of Prime Minister Mario Draghi. With the state of emergency, the government can more easily free up funds and resources to combat the effects of drought in the Alpine areas and areas along the Po River. Rome made 36.5 million euros available to the regions.
Level lower than it has been for 70 years
The state of emergency applies to the areas that are hardest hit by the drought. Northern Italy in particular is currently experiencing severe drought. Large lakes such as Lake Garda have significantly less water than usual at this time of year. The water level in the Po River – Italy’s longest river – dropped so low that salt water seeped into the river bed for miles at the mouth of the sea. In some places, the level is lower than it has been in 70 years.
Cities like Pisa and Verona recently restricted water use. Venice and Milan turned off part of the fountains. The severity and likelihood of droughts have increased in the Mediterranean and other regions of the world as a result of climate change.