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Large swathes of Europe are droughts and water shortages. One region is its worst drought for 70 years. The area, in northern Italy, has had hardly any rainfall in the past four months. This year's snowfall 70 per cent lower. This has the River Po, Italy's largest, to be three metres lower than average. A lot of the riverbed has up and people can across the mud. In one part, the declining water level has fully a World War II shipwreck. Authorities are concerned that if it doesn't soon, there'll be a serious water shortage. This means water will rationed for drinking. Farmers will also have problems finding water to their crops.

A spokesperson from Italy's Po Basin Authority the water shortages are unprecedented. The river much of its water from Lake Maggiore in the Italian Alps. The lake is its lowest water level since 1946. Problems are exacerbated by higher-than-average temperatures and a mini heat wave. A farmer from the tiny rural town of Guastalla, 150 km southeast of Milan, said she is a "disastrous year". She : "With such high temperatures and with no rain...the situation catastrophic." She added: "We that there will a drop in wheat productivity by at least 20 per cent due to the lack of rain." The Po Valley will a 30 to 40% reduction in fruit and vegetable production.