Italy declares state of emergency till year end to confront drought

The Italian government has declared a state of emergency related to the prolonged heatwave and drought conditions that have badly hit the country, particularly its north.

Italy, coronavirus
IANS Rome
1 min read Last Updated : Jul 05 2022 | 8:29 AM IST

The Italian government has declared a state of emergency related to the prolonged heatwave and drought conditions that have badly hit the country, particularly its north.

The state of emergency, which will remain in force until at least the end of the year, will give the government extra funds and power to deal with the hot and dry conditions that threaten to reduce the country's agricultural output by as much as a third, Xinhua news agency reported.

The government also earmarked a total of 36.5 million euros ($38.1 million) for the northern regions of Emilia-Romagna, Friuli Venezia Giulia, Lombardy, Piedmont and Veneto to tackle their water shortages.

Focus will be placed on easing droughts along the Po River -- Italy's longest waterway that is running 85 per cent below its normal water levels -- and the Eastern Alps.

Most areas in Italy have been gripped by record-high temperatures, with the mercury constantly surpassing 40 degrees Celsius.

The decree comes a day after a glacial landslide in northeastern Italy that killed at least seven people. High temperatures have been blamed for the glacial collapse.

--IANS

int/shs

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

Subscribe to Business Standard digital and get complimentary access to The New York Times

Quarterly Starter

₹900

3 Months

₹300/Month

SAVE 25%

Smart Essential

₹2,700

1 Year

₹225/Month

Save 46%

Super Saver

₹3,900

2 Years

₹162/Month

Subscribe

Renews automatically, cancel anytime

Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans

Access to Exclusive Premium Stories Online

  • Over 30 behind the paywall stories daily, handpicked by our editors for subscribers

Complimentary Access to The New York Times

  • News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic

Business Standard Epaper

  • Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share

Curated Newsletters

  • Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox

Market Analysis & Investment Insights

  • In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor

Archives

  • Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997

Ad-free Reading

  • Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements

Seamless Access Across All Devices

  • Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app

More From This Section

Topics :ItalyEmergency Drought

First Published: Jul 05 2022 | 8:29 AM IST

Next Story