Po River drought stirs unease in Abruzzo's highlands

Italy's Po River has fallen to historically low levels as the country endures its fourth heatwave of the summer, according to Euronews. The river's dry bed is exposed near Pavia in the north, prompting fresh concerns over water supplies and farming across the region.

For Abruzzo, the news from the Po is a distant echo of a familiar vulnerability. The region's economy leans on agriculture and tourism, both of which depend on the mountain snowpack and reservoirs of the Apennines, which feed rivers like the Aterno and the Sangro.

The drought in the north does not directly drain Abruzzo's rivers, but it sharpens the anxiety of a summer that has brought repeated heat warnings across Italy, with forecasters predicting highs of 40C for the Ferragosto weekend.