Po drought exposes Italy's fragile water web

Italy's Po River has fallen to historically low levels as the country endures its fourth heatwave of the summer, exposing wide stretches of dry riverbed near Pavia and raising fresh concerns over water supplies and farming across northern Italy, according to Euronews.

The drought gripping the north is not an isolated phenomenon. It is the same weather system that has pushed temperatures toward 40C across the peninsula, with forecasters warning of a sweltering Ferragosto weekend, as The Local Italy reported.

For Basilicata, the Po's plight is a distant but instructive mirror. This southern region, like the Po valley, depends on irrigation for its agriculture — from wheat and olives to the vineyards that have made the area known abroad.