Almost three-quarters of England in drought as conditions worsen in dry August
Officials say 45 million people now live in drought areas as water restrictions spread and reservoir levels fall across England.
- On Monday, the National Drought Group declared 71% of England is now in drought, with the East Midlands, Lincolnshire, Northamptonshire, Kent, East Sussex, Solent, and the South Downs moving into new drought status.
- The National Drought Group described the situation as a 'flash drought' that 'develops very quickly' due to a combination of very low rainfall and higher temperatures, marking the third drought in five years.
- A total of 45 million people now live in drought areas, with more than 27 million facing water use restrictions; NFU president Tom Bradshaw warned livestock farmers have already used their winter feed rations.
- The Health Security Agency issued amber heat alerts for England from Tuesday until Friday, while National Drought Group chair Tony Grayling urged residents to 'use a little less water' to preserve reserves.
- Climate Change Committee chief executive Emma Pinchbeck warned the nation is 'not prepared at all' for prolonged dry weather, as a strong El Niño event is expected to 'dominate global climate patterns' in coming months.
56 Articles
56 Articles
Drought declared in East Midlands after driest July in 190 years
Almost three-quarters of England is now in drought after the East Midlands and several other regions were moved into drought status following a dry start to August. The National Drought Group said all parts of the country were experiencing pressure on water resources, with growing impacts on agriculture, public water supplies, navigation and the environment. […]
The coming days are also marked by high summer and, especially in the east, still hot weather. All current news in the live ticker.
Parks and fields have dried up, river levels are sinking, agriculture is complaining about crop failures. Known for its humid weather, England is plagued by a record drought.
LONDON. Green Park is yellow. Record heat has caused London's parks to dry out. - Hopefully it can focus attention on the need to reduce our emissions, says climate scientist Shaun Fitzgerald.
People in England usually cannot complain about the lack of rain. This summer, it is different. Meanwhile, even food shortages are warned.
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