Italy suffers from severe drought

The Sangone torrent, a tributary of the Po, near Turin, is completely dried up. After a prolonged period of drought, the Po River and its catchment area have a water flow of less than half the normal value. The Po is considered the lifeline of northern Italy. According to current forecasts, sustained rainfall is still not in sight.

This aerial view shows the Ponte delle Barche (Bridge of Boats) at Bereguardo near Pavia in Lombardy and the low water level of the Ticino River in March 2022. The bridge was initially built as a temporary structure following the course of the river, with the supporting boats floating as the water level of the Ticino rose. Now they lie aground and inevitably will suffer damage.

A man waters the plants in his garden with a bottle of mineral water. 125 cities in the regions of Piedmont and Lombardy have begun rationing tap water. The government declared a national drought emergency to better combat the consequences of the worst drought in northern Italy in decades.

In the midst of this drought disaster, Marina Piceno, 64, lies in an inflatable pool in her garden. The water for it comes from her private well. The state of emergency applies in some regions until the end of the year. The government promised financial aid to counteract the consequences of the water shortage.

In Levo, northwest of Milan, residents collect drinking water from a public spring. In Milan, Verona and Pisa, among other cities, people have been banned from washing cars, filling private swimming pools or watering gardens. Drinking water is now only allowed to be used for cooking, drinking and washing.

Luca Rizzotti shows rice grains as they look right after harvesting. Rice needs a lot of water, and the area between Novara and Pavia is threatened by serious water shortages. About half of the harvest is at risk. For many farmers and producers, this could also become an existential problem. Livestock farmers are also suffering from the drought.

This view shows the dried up riverbed at the confluence of the Ticino and Po rivers at Ponte della Becca, near Linarolo. Never since weather records began 70 years ago has the water level of the Po been lower. Scientists have been warning of increasing drought in northern Italy for many years.

Rising temperatures as a result of climate change are also causing many glaciers worldwide to melt. Experts also see connections between the current high temperatures and the glacier break in the Dolomites at the Marmolata glacier a few days ago. At least seven people lost their lives in the disaster.