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THIRSTY Europe
Photography by: © Carlos Castro/Contacto via ZUMA Press

Published TUESDAY January 23, 2024: 'THIRSTY Europe' by ZUMA Partner agency Contacto photo-journalist's Carlos Castro, Cesar Ortiz, Fernando Sanchez, Fabian Simon, Lorena Sopana, Lex Zea, David Zorrakino: Europe is facing its worst drought in at least 500 years, with two-thirds of the continent in a state of alert or warning, reducing inland shipping, electricity production and the yields of certain crops. Catalonia is suffering with reservoirs that provide water for about 6 million people, including Spain's second-biggest city Barcelona, filled to just 18 percent of their capacity an extreme and unprecedented low, even though nearly 45% of drinking water consumption depends on them. By comparison, Spain's reservoirs as a whole are at 43 percent of their capacity. Spanish authorities and experts point to the impact of climate change in the increasingly hot and dry weather. Tighter water restrictions went into effect and Barcelona may need to have fresh water shipped in by boat in the coming months to ensure drinking water supplies for its 5.5 million inhabitants. Welcome to 'THIRSTY Europe'

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THIRSTY Europe

Photography by Carlos Castro, Cesar Ortiz, Fernando Sanchez, Fabian Simon, Lorena Sopana, Lex Zea, David Zorrakino/Contacto via ZUMA Press

Europe keeps facing challenging drought conditions that continue impacting agriculture, energy and water resources. In mid-June 2023, the indicator used to monitor drought conditions mirrored 2022's severe drought in Europe. The same one that had widespread impacts on water resources, agriculture, and energy. Southern Europe has been suffering from a prolonged drought but thanks to recent rainfall it appears to be gradually recovering. However, in the Iberian Peninsula, the recent rainfall hasn't been sufficient to counterbalance the long-standing lack of rain and the effects of extended heatwaves. As a result, an 'alert' drought level remains.

A new drought is building up around the Baltic Sea, Scandinavia, the UK, Ireland, and Germany. This is causing concerns about how crops will grow.
Seasonal weather forecasts point to a warmer-than-average summer, with higher-than-average precipitation levels expected for the Mediterranean region. However, for central and northern Europe, particularly for the regions around the Baltic Sea, precipitation is expected to be significantly lower than usual.

According to media reports (BBC News), Spain is the world's biggest olive oil producer, covering 70% of European Union consumption and 45% of that of the entire world. The lack of rain that olive-producing areas around Spain have been seeing has an enormous impact on both the amount of oil being produced and its price, with olive oil prices skyrocketing. As reported by the Sur in English media, southern Spain's Malaga province continues to be plagued by drought and water levels at various reservoirs remained at record low levels.

Mediterranean coastal areas and parts of northern Scandinavia were drier than normal during December 2023, while areas in between were wetter than normal. This month's precipitation added to previous months' above-normal precipitation to create a positive precipitation anomaly pattern across much of Europe extending over the last 2 to 12 months, except along the Mediterranean coast. The dryness in the south was magnified at longer time scales, according to the Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI), with dryness appearing in a few northern areas at these multi-year time scales. Temperatures were warmer than normal across most of the continent, except over the Iberian Peninsula and in the North. December 2023 was the eighth warmest December, continent-wide, in the 1910-2023 NOAA/NCEI record.

Excessive warmth during previous months resulted in the warmest multi-month periods from June-December through September-December as well as March-December. The hot temperatures increased evapotranspiration that, combined with low precipitation, intensified drought conditions, as seen in the Standardized Precipitation Evapotranspiration Index (SPEI), in southern Europe and northern parts of Scandinavia, and reduced the magnitude of the wet conditions in between these areas. The recent precipitation improved soil moisture conditions in central regions, but soils were still dry across the Mediterranean coast and in France, eastern Europe, and northern Scandinavia, based on satellite (GRACE) indicators. T

he satellite-based (GRACE) indicator of groundwater revealed low groundwater levels continuing across much of Europe. Satellite observations of vegetative health (Vegetative Health Index, VHI) revealed improved vegetation conditions over most of the continent, except in far northern Scandinavia. The European Combined Drought Indicator showed the most severe drought in parts of eastern Europe, the Mediterranean coast, and northern Scandinavia, with 21.8% of the EU-27 territory in Drought Watch, Warning, or Alert conditions, which is less than last month. In 2023, Europe had the second warmest year on record, continent-wide, with the Mediterranean coast, northern Scandinavia, and parts of eastern Europe drier than normal for the year.


source: NOAA, EU Science Hub
Published TUESDAY January 23, 2024: 'THIRSTY Europe' by ZUMA Partner agency Contacto photo-journalist's Carlos Castro, Cesar Ortiz, Fernando Sanchez, Fabian Simon, Lorena Sopana, Lex Zea, David Zorrakino: Europe is facing its worst drought in at least 500 years, with two-thirds of the continent in a state of alert or warning, reducing inland shipping, electricity production and the yields of certain crops. Catalonia is suffering with reservoirs that provide water for about 6 million people, including Spain's second-biggest city Barcelona, filled to just 18 percent of their capacity an extreme and unprecedented low, even though nearly 45% of drinking water consumption depends on them. By comparison, Spain's reservoirs as a whole are at 43 percent of their capacity. Spanish authorities and experts point to the impact of climate change in the increasingly hot and dry weather. Tighter water restrictions went into effect and Barcelona may need to have fresh water shipped in by boat in the coming months to ensure drinking water supplies for its 5.5 million inhabitants. Welcome to 'THIRSTY Europe'
© zReportage.com Issue #924 Story of the Week: Published TUESDAY January 23, 2024: 'THIRSTY Europe' by ZUMA Partner agency Contacto photo-journalist's Carlos Castro, Cesar Ortiz, Fernando Sanchez, Fabian Simon, Lorena Sopana, Lex Zea, David Zorrakino: Europe is facing its worst drought in at least 500 years, with two-thirds of the continent in a state of alert or warning, reducing inland shipping, electricity production and the yields of certain crops. Catalonia is suffering with reservoirs that provide water for about 6 million people, including Spain's second-biggest city Barcelona, filled to just 18 percent of their capacity an extreme and unprecedented low, even though nearly 45% of drinking water consumption depends on them. By comparison, Spain's reservoirs as a whole are at 43 percent of their capacity. Spanish authorities and experts point to the impact of climate change in the increasingly hot and dry weather. Tighter water restrictions went into effect and Barcelona may need to have fresh water shipped in by boat in the coming months to ensure drinking water supplies for its 5.5 million inhabitants. Welcome to 'THIRSTY Europe'
A sign prohibiting bathing in the dry Santa Fe reservoir, in the Montseny Nature Preserve during the ongoing drought. The reservoir was built in 1920 to generate electricity for a luxury hotel, built by Ramon de Montaner, a publisher from Barcelona.
© Alberto Paredes/Contacto via ZUMA Press
Church of Sant Roma de Sau in the Sau reservoir, revealed from the waters due to the ongoing drought. The low levels of the reservoirs, at 18% of their capacity, and the low possibility of rain in the coming weeks, have led the Catalonia Government to approve a new package of measures to control water consumption.
© Lorena Sopena/Contacto via ZUMA Press
Dry dusty and cracked lake bed dirt revealed after water dried up in the Belesar reservoir on the Minho River, during the ongoing drought in Galicia. Europe is facing its worst drought in at least 500 years, with two-thirds of the continent in a state of alert or warning, reducing inland shipping, electricity production and the yields of certain crops.
© Carlos Castro/Contacto via ZUMA Press
A fisherman casts his line on the waters and try's his luck in the near empty Belesar reservoir on the Minho River in Galicia amid the ongoing drought.
© Carlos Castro/Contacto via ZUMA Press
Bathers enjoy a freshwater shower using he footspa at the beach in La Malagueta, after the City Council cut the water from the showers in new measures to fight the ongoing drought.
© Lex Zea/Contacto via ZUMA Press
Above the dry cracked ground, lavender flowers bloom in Castilla La-Mancha. Known as 'El Jardin de la Alcarria' (The Garden of the Alcarria), the area was the Spanish pioneer in lavender cultivation 30 years ago. The harvesting of the fields begins in summer when the flower has already taken on a grayish color.
© Rafael Martin/Contacto via ZUMA Press
Dust rises from a field as a farmer uses a tractor to prepare the land qt the Belchite field in Zaragoza. The Union of Farmers and Ranchers of Aragon (UAGA) have called on the Spanish authorities to implement a comprehensive plan against the ongoing drought.
© Fabian Simon/Contacto via ZUMA Press
Farmer FELIX VAL discusses the affects of the ongoing drought situation for him on his tractor in the Belchite field in Zaragoza. The Union of Small Farmers (UPA) and the Union of Farmers and Ranchers of Aragon (UAGA) have called on the authorities to implement a comprehensive plan for water usage to allow them to continue to work.
© Fabian Simon/Contacto via ZUMA Press
Shepherd JOSE MANUEL GARCIA brings his sheep to drink water at Belchite field in Zaragoza. The Union of Farmers and Ranchers of Aragon (UAGA) have called on the authorities to implement a comprehensive plan against the unprecedented drought.
© Fabian Simon/Contacto via ZUMA Press
Farmers park tractors in front of the Ministry of Agriculture during a 'tractorada' demonstration called by the Union of Farmers and Ranchers in Madrid in order to claim more aid and speed in fighting the drought and 'saving' the Spanish countryside due to the effects of drought, as well as the increase in production costs. An estimated 150 farmers with tractors from the agricultural regions Valencia and Catalonia participated.
© Fernando Sanchez/Contacto via ZUMA Press
Farmer MARIO PICAZO cuts a melon after being picked from a field in Alcazar de San Juan. The scarce supply of watermelons has caused the price of these typical summer fruits to rise, reaching 2.50 euros per kilo when at the same time they were sold at 1.20 euros per kilo. This shortage is due to the high temperatures and intermittent rainfall, which caused many fruits to spoil.
© Rey Sotolongo/Contacto via ZUMA Press
A worker picks an olive from a branch of an olive tree during the start of the oil season in the Quiroga region. Oil production begins at the Ouro de Quiroga oil mill, despite its low production due to the drought. The producers harvest mainly olive oil from the native Mansa and Brava varieties.
© Carlos Castro/Contacto via ZUMA Press
First cold pressed oil emerges after the first filtering during the beginning of the oil season in the Quiroga region. Spain is the world's biggest olive oil producer, covering 70% of European Union consumption and 45% of that of the entire world. The lack of rain that olive-producing areas around Spain have been seeing has an enormous impact on both the amount of oil being produced and its price.
© Carlos Castro/Contacto via ZUMA Press
Celebration of a mass to pray for an end to the drought, organized by the village parish in Girona. The Darnius-Boadella reservoir is only at 20% of its capacity. The parish organized the mass next to the reservoir to reflect 'on the drought and the value of water'.
© Lorena Sopena/Contacto via ZUMA Press
The faithful gather for a mass to pray for an end to the drought, organized by the village parish in Girona. The parish organized the mass next to the reservoir to reflect 'on the drought and the value of water'.
© Lorena Sopena/Contacto via ZUMA Press
Worshipers hold hands and pray during a mass to pray for an end to the drought, organized by the village parish in Darnius, Girona. The Darnius-Boadella reservoir is only at 20% of its capacity. The parish of Darnius organized mass next to the reservoir to reflect ''on the drought and the value of water.'
© Lorena Sopena/Contacto via ZUMA Press
The water microfiltration area of the Baix Llobregat treatment plant as the city of Barcelona explains its technical drought action plan. Aigues de Barcelona sees it as ''essential'' to replicate the reclaimed water model it already has in the Llobregat River with the construction of a drinking water treatment plant (DWTP) and a water reclamation station (WRS). The coordinator of the Drought Plan explained that the objective is to regenerate '100% of the water consumed'.
© David Zorrakino/Contacto via ZUMA Press
Fish during their transfer and rescue in the Pas river, one of those affected by the drought. Cantabria will temporarily suspend fishing in four sections of the rivers Ason, Pas, Nansa and Deva to the flow situation with an average drop of 47% compared to the historical water line of recent years.
© Cesar Ortiz/Contacto via ZUMA Press
Wearing waders Nature workers during the transfer and rescue of fish in the Pas river, one of those affected by the drought Cantabria.
© Cesar Ortiz/Contacto via ZUMA Press
A swimmer exercises at an indoor public pool in Barcelona. The gyms and sports clubs in Catalonia that have indoor and outdoor pools will be able to fill them in a state of emergency due to drought, as long as they compensate by saving water in the rest of the facilities.
© David Zorrakino/Contacto via ZUMA Press
A city cleaning worker waters a street with a hose in Barcelona. The City Council has warned that the drought emergency phase, in which Catalonia may enter this January if abundant rainfall does not arrive in the coming weeks, could affect household supplies if the most advanced emergency phase is reached.
© David Zorrakino/Contacto via ZUMA Press

Lorena Sopena

Lorena Sopena is a photo-journalist from Barcelona with a passion for capturing compelling and timely visual stories. A regular contributor to the Europa Press/Contacto agency and Diari Ara her images have been published by leading media outlets such as The New York Times, Al Jazeera, BBC, Bild, The Guardian, Liberation and many others. Lorena's images are available via ZUMA Press Wire.:924


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