Italy to declare emergency in regions hit by drought

The Italian government plans to declare an emergency in response to a serious drought that has hit parts of the country, Prime Minister Mario Draghi's office announced on Monday. The Cabinet later met on Monday to announce the measures affecting the worst-affected regions. The north of the country is particularly badly hit, with its large lakes, including Lake Garda,holding much less water than is normal at this time of the year.

The Po, Italy's longest river, with its delta near Venice, is at its lowest level in the past 70 years at certain points along its course. Salt water has flowed in for kilometres upstream. The cities of Pisa and Verona have imposed water restrictions, and Venice and Milan have turned off some of their fountains. An observed increase in the severity and frequency of dry periods in the Mediterranean region is widely attributed to climate change. — dpa