Northern Italy drought emergency infographic
Graphic shows regions affected by state of emergency.
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CLIMATE

Drought emergency declared in northern Italy

July 5, 2022 - Italy has declared a state of emergency for areas surrounding the river Po, which is suffering the worst drought for 70 years. Rome has earmarked €36.5 million to help tackle the water shortage.

The Po is Italy's longest river which runs for more than 650 km through the wealthy north of Italy. However, many stretches of the waterway have run dry and farmers say the flow is so weak that sea water is seeping inland, destroying crops, according to Reuters.

The government said in a statement that the emergency measures would cover lands that bordered the Po and the water basins of the eastern Alps.

More broadly, it also introduced a state of emergency in five northern regions – Emilia-Romagna, Friuli Venezia Giulia, Lombardy, Piedmont and Veneto, Reuters said.

Sources
PUBLISHED: 05/07/2022; STORY: Graphic News
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