Drought hits northern Italy, Piedmont requests water from Switzerland

Northern Italy has been struggling with severe drought and heatwaves in recent weeks. While high temperatures melt the snow cover in the Alps, lack of precipitation has critically lowered the water level of the Po, the country's largest river. Authorities warn that there is only a week's worth of irrigation water left.

Piedmont Region President Alberto Cirio announced that negotiations are ongoing with Switzerland's Ticino canton and Italy's Aosta Valley to increase water supply for agricultural irrigation. While about a hundred municipalities in the region have restricted non-essential water use, fifty municipalities have started using water tankers to replenish their water reservoirs.

A report by the CIMA Foundation shows that the situation has not yet reached the crisis levels of 2022, but it is concerning. Along with the drought and inadequate water distribution network, wildfires are also increasing the region's problems. In contrast, the southern islands of Sicily and Sardinia have managed to keep their water storage capacities at 60 percent and 80 percent respectively, thanks to the measures they took during the winter months.