The Po River has been hit by a severe
drought after 100 days without rain, the river basin authority
said Thursday.
"The drought, which has hit the area around the river and the
whole of the Po Valley, has got serious", it said.
The level of the tributaries Trebbia, Secchia, and Reno are at
their lowest since 1972, while the Dora Baltea, Adda, and Ticino
rivers have shown a 75% drop in flow.
The water crisis observatory said "it will already be
problematic to start the irrigation season in Piedmont".
The authority asked for exemptions for drawing off water from
the river in favour of agriculture and hydro-electric power.
The Po is Italy's longest river, flowing eastward across
northern Italy starting from the Cottian Alps.
It flows either 652 km (405 mi) or 682 km (424 mi) - considering
the length of the Maira, a right bank tributary.
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