ROME, July 4 (Reuters) – Italy on Monday declared a state of emergency in areas surrounding the Po River, which accounts for about a third of the country’s agricultural output and suffers from its worst drought in 70 years.
The government decree will allow the authorities to reduce bureaucratic procedures and take immediate action if they deem it necessary, such as imposing water rationing on households and businesses.
The Po is the longest river in Italy that travels more than 650 km (400 miles) through the rich north of Italy. However, many stretches of the waterway have dried up and farmers say the flow is so weak that seawater is seeping inland, destroying crops. Read more
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The government said in a statement that emergency measures would cover the lands bordering the Po and the water basins of the eastern Alps.
More broadly, it also introduced a state of emergency in five northern regions – Emilia-Romagna, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Lombardy, Piedmont and Veneto -, allocating initial funds of 36.5 million euros (38 million). dollars) to help them cope with water shortages.
“The state of emergency is geared towards managing the current situation with extraordinary means and powers, with relief and assistance to the affected population,” the government said.
He added that more measures could be taken in the future to deal with the drought which, according to water authorities, is increasingly affecting central Italy after an extremely dry winter and spring followed by drought. an exceptionally hot early summer.
Italian media have reported that Prime Minister Mario Draghi was also considering appointing a commissioner to coordinate the response to the drought, in the same way that the government set up a commissioner to oversee the coronavirus crisis. ($ 1 = $ 0.9596)
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Report by Angelo Amante, edited by Giulia Segreti and Alex Richardson
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