drought

September 18, 2024 3:37 PM

Worst drought on record lowers Amazon rivers to all-time lows

The worst drought on record has lowered the water level of the rivers in the Amazon basin to historic lows, in some cases drying up riverbeds that were previously navigable waterways. The Solimoes, one of the main tributaries of the mighty Amazon River whose waters originate in the Peruvian Andes, has fallen to its lowest level on record in Tabatinga, the Brazilian town on the border with Colombia. Downriver in Tefé, a branch of the Solimoes has dried up completely, as seen by Reuters reporte...

July 8, 2024 4:55 PM

Sicily’s only natural lake drying up as island grapples with drought

A severe drought in Sicily has nearly dried up the Mediterranean island's only natural lake which has long served as a vital resting station for birds migrating between Africa and Europe. Sicily has suffered months of below-average rainfall, with the Italian government declaring a state of emergency over the crisis, which has devastated crops and desiccated pastures. Lake Pergusa, part of a natural reserve close to the central Sicilian town of Enna, has shrunk dramatically because of a lethal ...

September 16, 2024 6:10 PM

China hit by searing temperatures, India in the middle of a prolonged heat wave

Temperatures are hitting record highs in parts of north and central China this week, while a severe drought in the east is also threatening crops, as countries across Asia brace themselves for another summer of extreme weather. China is facing several days of scorching heat, with temperatures set to reach as high as 42 degrees Celsius (107.6°F) in northern Hebei province on Wednesday, the state weather forecaster said. The National Meteorological Centre (NMC) also warned late on Tuesday of th...