France's going through its most severe drought ever, PM says

The fountains of Concorde plaza are empty in Paris, France, as Europe is under an extreme heat wave, Aug. 3, 2022. (AP Photo/Francois Mori, File)

PARIS -

French Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne warned Friday that France is facing the "most severe drought" ever recorded in the country and announced the activation of a government crisis unit.

Borne said that many areas in France are going through a "historic situation" as the country endures its third heatwave this summer.

"The exceptional drought we are currently experiencing is depriving many municipalities of water and is a tragedy for our farmers, our ecosystems and biodiversity," she said in a statement.

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Weather forecasts suggest that the heat, which increases evaporation and water needs, could continue for the next 15 days, possibly making the situation even more worrying, the statement stressed.

The government's crisis unit will be in charge of monitoring the situation in the hardest-hit areas and will coordinate measures like bringing drinking water to some places.

It will also monitor the impact of the drought on France's energy production, transport infrastructure and agriculture.

The drought may force French energy giant EDF to cut power production at nuclear plants which use river water to cool reactors.

France now has 62 regions with restrictions on water usage due to the lack of rain.

The minister for ecological transition, Christophe Bechu, said during a visit to southeastern France that more than 100 municipalities are not able to provide drinking water to the tap anymore and need to get supplied by truck.

"The worse the situation is, the more we make drinking water the priority compared to other usages," he said.

The month of July was marked by a record rainfall deficit in France. With just 9.7 millimetres (0.3 inches) of rain according to national weather agency Meteo France, rainfall was 84 percent down on average figures for the same month over the past three decades.

Meteo France said July 2022 ranked the second driest month since measurements started in 1958-1959.

Farmers nationwide are reporting greater difficulties in feeding livestock due to a lack of fresh grass and are noticing a drop in yield, especially in fields which are not irrigated and in crops which require a lot of water like corn.