- The lack of rain and the increase in temperature is wreaking havoc in different parts of the world.
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| Images taken by the European Union's Copernicus Sentinel-2 satellite in the Netherlands showing the effect of drought in Europe. / European Union, images from Copernicus Sentinel |
The effects of the dramatic drought that Europe is experiencing this summer, from a satellite view
Europe is facing the worst drought in the last 500 years, experts from the European Commission warned in a report this week. It is not the only region in the world affected by the lack of rain and the increase in temperature.
The Copernicus Earth Monitoring Service (CLMS), the satellite observation system of the European Union and ESA, has shared satellite images throughout the summer that show the ravages that the drought is causing in different parts of the world.
The following image, taken on August 16, shows the water level of Lake Garda, the largest in Italy, which is at its lowest level in the last 15 years.
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| Before and after Lake Garda. / European Union, Copernicus Sentinel-2 images |
The two images below, acquired by the Copernicus Sentinel-2 satellites on August 5, 2021 (left) and August 3, 2022 (right), show the effects of water shortages on the Rhine River near Gendt, in the Netherlands.
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| Water shortage in the Rhine river. / European Union, Copernicus Sentinel-3 images |
Most of France is suffering from the consequences of extreme drought. After an exceptionally dry and hot spring, the water levels of the rivers and reservoirs are very low, which has forced the French authorities to impose water restriction measures.
Evidence of the ongoing widespread drought is provided by these two images, acquired just one year apart by Copernicus' Sentinel-3 satellites, on July 21, 2022, and July 22, 2022.
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| Extreme drought in France. / European Union, Copernicus Sentinel-3 images |
In Portugal, the drought has seriously affected the Bravura reservoir, located in the south of the country. The effects of water scarcity in the reservoir are visible when comparing images acquired by the Copernicus Sentinel-2 satellites on June 14, 2017, and June 8, 2022.
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| Drought in Portugal. / European Union, Copernicus Sentinel-2 images |
Outside of Europe, this summer's drought has hit countries like Morocco, causing a serious water deficit in their reservoirs.
These images, acquired by the Copernicus Sentinel-2 satellites on June 21, 2017 (left) and June 15, 2022 (right), show the effects of water scarcity in the Al Massira reservoir, the second largest in the country, which is currently at 6.3% of its total capacity.
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| Drought in Morocco. / European Union, Copernicus Sentinel-2 images |
