(MENAFN- Trend News Agency)
Italy on Monday declared a state of emergency for areas
surrounding the river Po, which accounts for roughly a third of the
country's agricultural production and is suffering its worst
drought for 70 years, Trend reports citing Reuters .
The government decree will allow authorities to cut through red
tape and take action immediately if they think it necessary, such
as to impose water rationing for homes and businesses.
The Po is Italy's longest river which runs for more than 650 km
(400 miles) through the wealthy north of Italy. However, many
stretches of the waterway have run dry and farmers say the flow is
so weak that sea water is seeping inland, destroying crops.
The government said in a statement that the emergency measures
would cover lands that bordered the Po and the water basins of the
eastern Alps.
More broadly, it also introduced a state of emergency in five
northern regions - Emilia-Romagna, Friuli Venezia Giulia, Lombardy,
Piedmont and Veneto - earmarking an initial 36.5 million euros ($38
million) of funds to help them tackle the water shortage.
'The state of emergency is aimed at managing the current
situation with extraordinary means and powers, with relief and
assistance to the affected population,' the government said.
It added that further measures could be taken in future to deal
with the drought which water authorities say is increasingly
impacting central Italy after an extremely dry winter and spring
followed by an exceptionally hot early summer.
Italian media have reported that Prime Minister Mario Draghi was
also considering appointing a commissioner to coordinate the
drought response, in a similar way to which the government created
a commissioner to oversee the coronavirus crisis.
($1 = 0.9596 euros)
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