PARIS: More than half (52 per cent) of Europe and the Mediterranean basin was hit by drought in July for the fourth consecutive month, according to an AFP analysis of European Drought Observatory (EDO) data.
Drought levels in the region are the highest on record for the month of July since data collection began in 2012, exceeding the 2012-2024 average by 21 per cent.
Read more: Third-hottest July generates heatwaves, floods, droughts
Monthly records have been broken every month this year.
The Drought Observatory Indicator determined by the EU’s Copernicus Climate Change Service uses satellite imagery to measure three parameters: precipitation or rainfall, soil moisture and the state of vegetation.
EASTERN EUROPE AND BALKANS
Findings are then categorised into one of three levels of drought: watch, warning and alert — the last level signalling that vegetation is developing abnormally.
Read more: Wildfires in Balkans as Europe grapples with heatwaves
Eastern Europe and the Balkans are particularly affected, with a high amount of soil under alert in multiple countries.
In Hungary, the percentage of soil under alert increased from nine per cent in June to 56 per cent in July. In Kosovo, it went from six per cent to 43 per cent, and in Bosnia-Herzegovina from one per cent to 23 percent.
Multiple heatwaves have swept the Balkans since the start of the summer and a record number of wildfires have broken out.
Some are caused by poorly managed and illegal dumpsites bursting into flames under the scorching sun, smothering towns and cities with toxic smoke.
Further east, Turkey has been hit by a prolonged drought affecting more than 60 per cent of soil since March, leading to thousands of fires this summer.
On August 8, wildfires in the west of the country forced authorities to suspend shipping in the busy Dardanelles Strait and evacuate three villages.
Read more: Extreme heat, drought produce Turkiye, Greece wildfires
WESTERN EUROPE
In Western Europe, the situation is more mixed.
In France, 68 per cent of soil was affected by drought in July, up from 44 per cent in June.
France experienced one of its largest wildfires in history last week when flames tore through 13,000 hectares (more than 32,000 acres) of the southern Aude department, killing one person and injuring several others.
The country is now facing its second heatwave of the summer.
In the United Kingdom, which had its driest spring in more than 50 years, drought levels improved in July although more than two-thirds of the country remains in water deficit.
In the south, Spain and Portugal remain relatively spared with low drought rates (seven per cent and five per cent respectively).