LONDON, October 14 The United Kingdom warned, Friday, that the drought affecting parts of the country may continue until the next northern spring, after predicting that rains this winter will not be enough to reverse the situation.
The so-called National Drought Group (NDG) noted that “most of England is still drought-stricken”, after a summer in which 40°C was exceeded for the first time in its history.
His report today noted that “for the first time in six months” England recorded a September rainfall pattern “in line with average”, although water levels “continued to fall in all reservoirs”.
So the National Development Group warned that even if the “average level of rainfall” was reached this winter, “it would not be enough” to avoid “imminent drought” or “dry conditions next year”.
This British government advisory group suggested today that “all sectors must make plans to deal with all situations, and they must continue to use water intelligently and make it accessible to all sectors and the environment”.
Its CEO, James Bevan, insisted that “life, livelihoods and nature” depend “all on water”.
“Climate change and population growth are forcing us to take action now to ensure we have enough water for decades to come to manage daily needs, and to deal with severe droughts,” Bevan said.
A heat wave that hit the country last summer has sent temperature scales up in the UK, with some areas exceeding 40 degrees Celsius for the first time in the country’s history.
This exceptionally warm weather for the British Isles also came after last winter and spring was already the driest since the 1970s.
Britain’s Water Minister Trudy Harrison added: “The record temperatures and widespread drought in the country this year remind us that we must adapt to ensure our water supply continues into the future.”
