Drought grips Italy as Po River hits record lows; Switzerland sends water

Italy is grappling with a critical water shortage, exacerbated by weeks of extreme heat and minimal rainfall. The Po River and Lake Maggiore have reached alarming low levels, straining drinking water supplies for numerous towns and severely impacting the agricultural sector in the country's north.

In response to the crisis, Switzerland has agreed to a temporary increase in water discharge from Lake Lugano into Lake Maggiore. This emergency measure, coordinated with Italian authorities, will raise the flow from three to eight cubic meters per second. The aim is to sustain the lake's water level and ensure sufficient water for rice paddies in the Lombardy and Piedmont regions.

The Po River's flow has hit record lows for this time of year, with exceptionally low values recorded in Cremona. The Po Basin Authority had already warned in July that water levels were approaching their minimum operational limits. The situation has led to widespread water restrictions, with nearly 100 municipalities in Piedmont implementing curbs on consumption.

In Lombardy and the Marche region, dozens of municipalities are also facing difficulties, with some dependent on water tankers to supplement their drinking water networks. The crisis particularly affects rice production, a key agricultural output for Italy, with over 80% of the country's rice cultivation concentrated in northern provinces. Farmers are resorting to unprecedented water rotation systems and even sacrificing entire plots to save a portion of their harvest.