Continuously rising temperatures that have plagued Greece during the ongoing summer season, with meteorologists declaring last month’s heat wave the earliest on record, are now being accompanied by the threat of drought.
According to the EU Commission’s European Drought Observatory (EDO), “warning drought conditions” have been declared for most of Greece—along with eastern Spain, most of southern and central-eastern Italy, Malta, the majority of Romania, Poland and the Baltics. Even worse, “alert drought conditions” are in effect for parts of the country as well.
The record-breaking tourist arrivals expected over Greece’s summer season may also worsen the situation. The high temperatures that began in June, coupled with below average rain and snowfall through last winter and spring, now make for a tinderbox situation.
Among other problems, the water level in the Mornos reservoir which supplies the greater Athens-Piraeus area with much of its drinking water, is 15% to 20% below the 14-year average.
