A severe drought has hit Europe, scientifically estimated to be the worst in five centuries, affecting every area of ​​human activity, from inland shipping to agriculture, food security, hydropower and more. This was announced yesterday by an official representative of the European Union, confirming the data of the European Drought Observatory published a few days ago. According to them, 47% of the area of ​​E.U. is on “warning” for insufficient soil moisture, and 17% are already on the alert, as dry conditions affect vegetation.

This is the worst figure in the last five centuries in Europe, and, according to scientists, a recession is not expected until November.

“The severe drought that has hit large swaths of Europe since the beginning of this year has steadily worsened and worsened significantly since early August,” the report said, which predicted the phenomenon would not subside in Western countries. Europe and the Mediterranean at least until November.

The successive heatwaves that hit the Old Continent this summer have exacerbated the drought and caused a host of problems such as giant wildfires, water shortages, health problems and more. Indeed, as the latest observatory data confirms, we are experiencing the worst drought in 500 years, the European Commission said in a statement yesterday. The effects of drought on many crops are dramatic. Corn production is expected to be 16% below the five-year average, while soybean and sunflower crops are expected to decline by 15% and 12%, respectively. The shortage of hydroelectric power is significant, and low water levels in rivers affect nuclear power plants by making their cooling systems difficult to operate. Low water levels in European rivers have also created problems for inland navigation, such as transporting goods, mainly coal and oil, on the Rhine.