The decline in the levels of the Po River and the large lakes in Italy continues, said the agency responsible for servicing the Po River Basin (Adbpo), quoted by the Italian news agency ANSA, BTA reported.
“The persistent high temperatures are depleting the last remaining water reserves, namely the large pre-Alpine lakes“, said Adbpo Secretary General Alessandro Delpiano.
“The emergency situation continues and has no end“, said Adbpo, adding that the danger level remains high, with more than 100 municipalities in Piedmont and Lombardy facing critical problems with drinking water supplies.
Water tankers are being used in several cities to ensure domestic supplies. The shortage is also causing huge damage to agriculture.
Scientists believe that the climate crisis caused by greenhouse gas emissions is making extreme weather events such as heat waves, droughts, super-intense storms and floods more frequent and more intense.
Although there are many sources of greenhouse gases that cause global warming, the main driver is the burning of fossil fuels such as oil, gas and coal, the sales of which generate huge profits for global energy giants, ANSA said.
“The consequences of climate change in northern Italy could become even more serious for agriculture, industry, the population and for life in general“, Delpiano said.
“Without water and food there can be no life, so we must quickly take additional measures to adapt to climate change so as not to find ourselves in even worse situations from this one in a few years“, he pointed out.