More parts of England have been thrown officially into drought.
New orders put the entire south-west region into drought status.
It means the problem is spreading, with only three of England’s 14 Environment Agency areas now not given this status.
New drought orders were announced on Monday after a series of storms brought temperatures down, but the short, sharp period of rain was never going to be enough to reverse the dry conditions.
Meteorologists and environmentalists have said the country needs above average rainfall for the rest of the year if it is to cancel out the dry weather experienced so far this year.
Essential water supplies are safe, but the Environment Agency said it would try to lower demand for these and reduce the drought’s impact on the environment.
On Monday, the Wessex area — which includes Bristol, Somerset, Dorset, south Gloucestershire and parts of Wiltshire — was put in drought status. The rest of the south-west, Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, were already there.
“Despite some heavy rain over the past two weeks, it has not been enough to refill our rivers and aquifers,” said Chris Paul, the agency's area drought lead.
“River levels across our Wessex area are exceptionally low — many showing the lowest flows on record.
“This places incredible strain on local wildlife and this is why we are moving to drought status. We are prioritising our local operations to minimise impacts on the environment.”
Drought orders open the door for possible new measures, including hosepipe bans, to tackle water use and protect supplies.
Record-breaking temperatures in July then left rivers at exceptionally low levels ― and caused depleted reservoirs and dried-out soils.
Parts of England have experienced the driest July since records dating back to 1836 began.
July was the driest since 1935 across England, with monthly rainfall totals for the majority of river catchments classed as exceptionally low for the time of year.
The Environment Agency said there had been five consecutive months of below average rainfall across all geographic regions in England and above average temperatures.
Almost half of the 27-nation EU is under drought warning, with conditions worsening in Belgium, France, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Portugal, Romania and Spain.
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Evacuations to France hit by controversy
- Over 500 Gazans have been evacuated to France since November 2023
- Evacuations were paused after a student already in France posted anti-Semitic content and was subsequently expelled to Qatar
- The Foreign Ministry launched a review to determine how authorities failed to detect the posts before her entry
- Artists and researchers fall under a programme called Pause that began in 2017
- It has benefited more than 700 people from 44 countries, including Syria, Turkey, Iran, and Sudan
- Since the start of the Gaza war, it has also included 45 Gazan beneficiaries
- Unlike students, they are allowed to bring their families to France
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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Conflict, drought, famine
Estimates of the number of deaths caused by the famine range from 400,000 to 1 million, according to a document prepared for the UK House of Lords in 2024.
It has been claimed that the policies of the Ethiopian government, which took control after deposing Emperor Haile Selassie in a military-led revolution in 1974, contributed to the scale of the famine.
Dr Miriam Bradley, senior lecturer in humanitarian studies at the University of Manchester, has argued that, by the early 1980s, “several government policies combined to cause, rather than prevent, a famine which lasted from 1983 to 1985. Mengistu’s government imposed Stalinist-model agricultural policies involving forced collectivisation and villagisation [relocation of communities into planned villages].
The West became aware of the catastrophe through a series of BBC News reports by journalist Michael Buerk in October 1984 describing a “biblical famine” and containing graphic images of thousands of people, including children, facing starvation.
Band Aid
Bob Geldof, singer with the Irish rock group The Boomtown Rats, formed Band Aid in response to the horrific images shown in the news broadcasts.
With Midge Ure of the band Ultravox, he wrote the hit charity single Do They Know it’s Christmas in December 1984, featuring a string of high-profile musicians.
Following the single’s success, the idea to stage a rock concert evolved.
Live Aid was a series of simultaneous concerts that took place at Wembley Stadium in London, John F Kennedy Stadium in Philadelphia, the US, and at various other venues across the world.
The combined event was broadcast to an estimated worldwide audience of 1.5 billion.
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Dr Afridi's warning signs of digital addiction
Spending an excessive amount of time on the phone.
Neglecting personal, social, or academic responsibilities.
Losing interest in other activities or hobbies that were once enjoyed.
Having withdrawal symptoms like feeling anxious, restless, or upset when the technology is not available.
Experiencing sleep disturbances or changes in sleep patterns.
What are the guidelines?
Under 18 months: Avoid screen time altogether, except for video chatting with family.
Aged 18-24 months: If screens are introduced, it should be high-quality content watched with a caregiver to help the child understand what they are seeing.
Aged 2-5 years: Limit to one-hour per day of high-quality programming, with co-viewing whenever possible.
Aged 6-12 years: Set consistent limits on screen time to ensure it does not interfere with sleep, physical activity, or social interactions.
Teenagers: Encourage a balanced approach – screens should not replace sleep, exercise, or face-to-face socialisation.
Source: American Paediatric Association
