Italy has declared a state of emergency in five northern regions and announced emergency funds on Monday over a worsening drought that has plagued the Po valley recently. The cabinet approved a state of emergency in five regions – Friuli-Romagna, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Lombardy, Piedmont and Veneto –until December 31st. the government said in a statement that also announced a 36.5 million-euro (39.5 million) fund to help those affected. Italy is facing an unusually early heatwave and lack of rainfall, particularly in the northern agricultural Po Valley, which has been hit by its first drought in 70 years. The state of emergency provides “ extraordinary means and powers” to help guarantee public safety, and compensation for losses while seeking to guarantee normal living conditions for those in the area. According to the country’s largest agricultural union, coldiretti, the drought threatens more than 30% of national production. Which is extremely concerning. The Po valley represents the peninsula’s largest water reservoir, much of which is issued by farmers. Another consequence of the drought is that hydroelectric power production has fallen short. The plants are mostly in the mountains region and account for nearly 20% of national energy production.
Several municipalities have announced restrictions and water rationing.
Verona, a city that has a population of about a quarter-million people have announced the closure of its decorative fountains These announcements came after at least 7 people died after a glacier collapsed in the Italian alps after being caught in an avalanche sparked by the collapse of a glacier. Emergencies officials said eight others were injured in the collapse, with two people suffering serious injuries. Rescue teams with helicopters and drones have halted their search for 13 others who are missing due to bad weather. An avalanche of snow, ice, and rock which in its path hit the access road when there were several roped parties, some of which were swept away,” emergency services spokeswoman Michela Canova said. “The definitive number of mountaineers involved is not yet known,” she added. It isn’t clear what caused the section of the glacier called a serac to collapse. But Walter Milan a rescue service spokesperson told state tv the area has been experiencing unusually high temperatures in recent days. He added the temperature went up to 10C at the glacier’s peak in recent days. “That’s extreme heat,” he said. “It’s something abnormal.” He said. Prime Minister Mario Draghi said was without doubt linked to global warming.” The government said “the state of emergency is aimed towards managing the current situation with extraordinary means and powers”
The PO river is Italy’s longest river, flowing eastwards for more than 650 km (404 miles). The farmers in the valley say salty water is now seeping into the river, destroying crops. The river is 85% below its normal water levels. And the eastern alps.
- Advertisement -
Drought- Manifestation of Climate Change
Climate Change is the defining issue of our time and we are at a defining moment. From shifting weather patterns that threaten food production to rising sea levels that increase the risk of catastrophic flooding, the impacts of climate change are global in scope and unprecedented in scale. We can see how climate change is affecting the world. More frequent and intense droughts, storms, glacier collapse, melting of ice caps, and warming oceans, rising sea levels can be seen all over the globe. the world has been experiencing serious global warming changes all around to an extent where it is directly impacting our lives. Extreme heatwaves were experienced this year everywhere and extreme cold weather too. As climate change worsens, dangerous weather events are becoming more and more severe. It is not only harming the wildlife and destroying their livelihoods, climate change is also destroying and creating havoc on people’s livelihood and communities as well.
Many International organisations and during various leaders summits subject of climate change have always been of concern, and many steps are been taken to combat climate change, and protect the environment we live in. though we cannot stop climate change as effects of human activities on Earth’s climate to date are irreversible on the timescale of humans alive today, but every little bit of avoided future temperature increases results in less warming that would otherwise persist for essentially forever.
