Drought and climate change have pushed thousands of Iraqis out of their homes. These people with once booming farms are now staring at a life of poverty. Climate change is among the biggest contributors to internal displacement in Iraq. Ghadi Francis reports on the vulnerable Iraqi displaced

Iraq: Drought and bad crop yield push farmers out of villages

This report delves into the Panama Canal crisis, where a severe drought threatens to disrupt this holiday season. This environmental disaster has led to drastic drops in canal water levels, causing significant delays in global trade. With only 24 ships allowed daily, down from 38, the world faces potential shortages and inflated prices on everything from festive decorations to children's toys. This crisis is a stark reminder of climate change's far-reaching impacts, echoing concerns that will be addressed at the upcoming COP28 conference.

Gravitas | Christmas at Risk: Panama Canal Drought Disrupts Global Trade

Christmas supplies in the UK may face significant delays due to a drastic decline in water levels in the Panama Canal. In what could dampen the mood in the festive season, cargo ships carrying Christmas supplies, including popular items like Apple's new iPhones, TVs, exercise bikes, clothes, and tree lights, are experiencing delays of up to four weeks.

Christmas supplies at risk as Panama canal suffers drought

A historic drought in South America, along the Amazon River, has revealed ancient human faces, which were carved into stone around 2,000 years ago.&nbsp;

The unusually sparse rainfall in Brazil led to an alarming drop in the water levels of the Amazon River, hence, revealing the carvings of animals and other forms on the shores of the Rio Negro.&nbsp;

This is not the first case, a few of these rock carvings had been spotted previously and archaeologists have been aware of the carved faces for years.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/scientists-unveil-recreation-of-500-year-old-sacrificial-incan-girl-in-peru-651073">Scientists unveil recreation of 500-year old sacrificial Incan girl in Peru</a>&nbsp;

The low level of water has unearthed previously unseen carvings as the researchers are intrigued by a new variety of them which has given them insights into their origins. &nbsp;

The petroglyphs found at the Ponto das Lajes archaeological site, or Place of Slabs, appear to have been created by indigenous people before contact with European explorers.&nbsp;

The Ponto das Lajes is on the north shore of the Amazon near where the Rio Negro and Solimoes rivers join.

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Archaeologist Jaime Oliveira&nbsp;was cited by Reuters as saying, "The engravings are prehistoric, or precolonial. We cannot date them exactly, but based on evidence of human occupation of the area, we believe they are about 1,000 to 2,000 years old. What we're seeing here are representations of anthropomorphic figures." &nbsp;

Oliveira said the carvings were first seen there in 2010, but this year's drought has been more severe, with the Rio Negro dropping 15 metres (49.2 feet) since July, exposing vast expanses of rocks and sand where there had been no beaches.

"This time we found not just more carvings but the sculpture of a human face cut into the rock," said Oliveira, who works for the National Historic and Artistic Heritage Institute (IPHAN) that oversees the preservation of historic sites.

A historic drought in South America, along the Amazon River, has revealed ancient human faces, which were carved into stone around 2,000 years ago. The unusually sparse rainfall in Brazil led to an alarming drop in the water levels of the Amazon River, hence, revealing the carvings of animals and other forms on the shores of the Rio Negro.

A historic drought in South America, along the Amazon River, has revealed ancient human faces, which were carved into stone around 2,000 years ago. The unusually sparse rainfall in Brazil led to an alarming drop in the water levels of the Amazon River, hence, revealing the carvings of animals and other forms on the shores of the Rio Negro. This is not the first case, a few of these rock carvings had been spotted previously and archaeologists have been aware of the carved faces for years. Also read: Scientists unveil recreation of 500-year old sacrificial Incan girl in Peru The low level of water has unearthed previously unseen carvings as the researchers are intrigued by a new variety of them which has given them insights into their origins. The petroglyphs found at the Ponto das Lajes archaeological site, or Place of Slabs, appear to have been created by indigenous people before contact with European explorers. The Ponto das Lajes is on the north shore of the Amazon near where the Rio Negro and Solimoes rivers join. Also read: California's supervolcano shows signs of activity, over 2,000 earthquakes rumble beneath valley Archaeologist Jaime Oliveira was cited by Reuters as saying, "The engravings are prehistoric, or precolonial. We cannot date them exactly, but based on evidence of human occupation of the area, we believe they are about 1,000 to 2,000 years old. What we're seeing here are representations of anthropomorphic figures." Oliveira said the carvings were first seen there in 2010, but this year's drought has been more severe, with the Rio Negro dropping 15 metres (49.2 feet) since July, exposing vast expanses of rocks and sand where there had been no beaches. "This time we found not just more carvings but the sculpture of a human face cut into the rock," said Oliveira, who works for the National Historic and Artistic Heritage Institute (IPHAN) that oversees the preservation of historic sites.

Drought reveals ancient rock carvings of human faces along Amazon River

The Amazon River, a lifeline of the Brazilian rain forest, has plummeted to its lowest level in more than a century, as a severe drought disrupts the lives of hundreds of thousands of people and wreaks havoc on the jungle's fragile ecosystem.

Rapidly dwindling tributaries have left boats stranded, cutting off essential supplies to remote villages and decimating the river's biodiversity, including the population of endangered river dolphins.

The port city of Manaus, at the confluence of the Rio Negro and the Amazon River, has recorded historically low water levels, posing a dire situation for the region's most populous city.

Villagers in the heart of the Amazon rainforest have been grappling with months of relentless drought.&nbsp;

<h2>Historic low water levels</h2>

The situation is deeply alarming, with the port of Manaus measuring a mere 13.59 meters (44.6 ft) of water on a Monday compared to 17.60 meters just a year ago.

This record low is the lowest level registered since the commencement of record-keeping in 1902, surpassing the previous all-time low in 2010. The implications of such a drastic drop in water levels are extensive, touching upon transportation, agriculture, and health.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/worlds-longest-river-nile-might-be-just-months-away-from-losing-its-title-641776">Also read |&nbsp;World’s longest river Nile might be just months away from losing its title</a>

The Brazilian government's disaster alert centre, Cemaden, has noted that some areas of the Amazon have experienced the driest period from July to September since 1980.

The Brazilian Science Ministry attributes this dire situation to the onset of the El Niño climate phenomenon, which has caused extreme weather patterns globally.

It anticipates that the drought will persist at least until December when El Niño's effects are expected to peak. This has created a severe predicament, impacting not only the immediate environment but also the livelihoods of thousands of people.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/over-100-dolphins-found-dead-in-amazon-as-water-temperature-soars-to-39degc-641437">Also read |&nbsp;Over 100 dolphins found dead in Amazon as water temperature soars to 39°C</a>

<h2>Impact on local communities</h2>

The drought's impact is acutely felt by local communities, affecting the lives of 481,000 people as of the most recent data.

Isolation due to dried-up river channels has hindered the transportation of essential supplies, including food, clean water, and medicines. While some areas remain reachable by canoe, many boats have been unable to navigate the receding waters, leading to a reliance on tractors or foot travel to deliver goods.

In addition to logistical challenges, the drought has posed severe health risks to residents. Reduced water levels have raised concerns about the cleanliness of local water supplies. The scarcity of clean water has led to health issues among the community's children, with instances of diarrhoea, vomiting, and fever due to waterborne diseases becoming more frequent.

(With inputs from agencies)

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The Amazon River, a lifeline of the Brazilian rain forest, has plummeted to its lowest level in more than a century, as a severe drought disrupts the lives of hundreds of thousands of people and wreaks havoc on the jungle's fragile ecosystem.

The Amazon River, a lifeline of the Brazilian rain forest, has plummeted to its lowest level in more than a century, as a severe drought disrupts the lives of hundreds of thousands of people and wreaks havoc on the jungle's fragile ecosystem. Rapidly dwindling tributaries have left boats stranded, cutting off essential supplies to remote villages and decimating the river's biodiversity, including the population of endangered river dolphins. The port city of Manaus, at the confluence of the Rio Negro and the Amazon River, has recorded historically low water levels, posing a dire situation for the region's most populous city. Villagers in the heart of the Amazon rainforest have been grappling with months of relentless drought. Historic low water levels The situation is deeply alarming, with the port of Manaus measuring a mere 13.59 meters (44.6 ft) of water on a Monday compared to 17.60 meters just a year ago. This record low is the lowest level registered since the commencement of record-keeping in 1902, surpassing the previous all-time low in 2010. The implications of such a drastic drop in water levels are extensive, touching upon transportation, agriculture, and health. Also read | World’s longest river Nile might be just months away from losing its title The Brazilian government's disaster alert centre, Cemaden, has noted that some areas of the Amazon have experienced the driest period from July to September since 1980. The Brazilian Science Ministry attributes this dire situation to the onset of the El Niño climate phenomenon, which has caused extreme weather patterns globally. It anticipates that the drought will persist at least until December when El Niño's effects are expected to peak. This has created a severe predicament, impacting not only the immediate environment but also the livelihoods of thousands of people. Also read | Over 100 dolphins found dead in Amazon as water temperature soars to 39°C Impact on local communities The drought's impact is acutely felt by local communities, affecting the lives of 481,000 people as of the most recent data. Isolation due to dried-up river channels has hindered the transportation of essential supplies, including food, clean water, and medicines. While some areas remain reachable by canoe, many boats have been unable to navigate the receding waters, leading to a reliance on tractors or foot travel to deliver goods. In addition to logistical challenges, the drought has posed severe health risks to residents. Reduced water levels have raised concerns about the cleanliness of local water supplies. The scarcity of clean water has led to health issues among the community's children, with instances of diarrhoea, vomiting, and fever due to waterborne diseases becoming more frequent. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Amazon river falls to lowest level in over a century amid Brazil drought crisis

The Amazon River is facing a tough situation with century-low water levels causing a record drought in the Brazilian Rainforest. This has led to stranded boats and isolated remote Villages now the high water temperatures also continue to pose a threat to the endangered river dolphins.

Record droughts destroy lives in Brazilian rainforest

Natural and man-made disasters have led to $3.8 trillion in crop and livestock losses over the last three decades, said the United Nations Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) on Friday (Oct 13) in its first-of-its-kind report that attempted to compile such an estimate. The world has also lost over $120 billion per year which amounts to five per cent of the annual global agricultural GDP.&nbsp;

<h2>Findings of the report</h2>

The UN food agency estimated that disasters like floods, droughts, insect infestations, storms, disease and war have caused $123 billion every year in lost food production between 1991 and 2021, which would have been enough to feed up to half a billion people per year.&nbsp;

The new report by FAO titled “The impact of disasters on agriculture and food security” shows the first-ever global estimation of the impact on agricultural production with a focus on crops and livestock due to disasters and aims to put into context the scale of the cost of such events.&nbsp;

The report also highlights the need for urgently improving data and information on the impact of disasters and notes how they have increased in frequency from 100 per year in the 1970s to a whopping 400 events per year in the past 20 years.&nbsp;

According to FAO, the average annual grain losses amounted to 69 million tonnes in the last three decades or so – which is equivalent to the entire cereal production of France in 2021.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/international-day-of-awareness-on-food-loss-and-waste-reduction-heres-how-food-waste-affects-the-environment-640920">Explained | Int’l day of awareness of food loss &amp; waste reduction: Here's how food waste affects environment</a>

Additionally, the world lost some 40 million tonnes of fruit and vegetable production and 16 million tonnes of meat, dairy and eggs to disasters. Around 23 per cent of losses due to disasters were sustained in the agricultural sector.

“Agriculture is one of the most highly exposed and vulnerable sectors in the context of disaster risk, given its profound dependence on natural resources and climate conditions. Recurrent disasters have the potential to erode gains in food security and undermine the sustainability of agrifood systems,” said FAO Director-General QU Dongyu in the report.

The UN food agency also found that lower and lower middle-income countries witnessed “highest relative” losses of up to 15 per cent of their total agricultural GDP. While Small Island Developing States (SIDS) reportedly lost seven per cent of their agricultural GDP.&nbsp;

<h2>Impact on women&nbsp;</h2>

According to the FAO, women were also hit harder than men due to these disasters. This has been attributed to resource and structural constraints which women face to access “information, financial instruments, the resources that they need to prepare to respond to or recover from disaster events,” said the report’s author, Zehra Zaidi.

<h2>Situation to worsen?</h2>

The FAO has identified climate change as one of the “systemic drivers of disaster risk” while other factors include pandemics, epidemics and armed conflicts.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/world-food-price-index-mostly-stable-in-september-sugar-prices-hit-13-year-high-due-to-el-nino-fao-643378">World sugar prices hit 13-year high in Sep due to El Nino; food price index 'mostly stable': FAO</a> 
 
According to the UN food agency, the disaster events are not only increasing in frequency but also becoming more intense and complex.&nbsp;

“The international community is taking stock of the fact that disasters are... increasing tremendously...quadrupling since the 1970s” and are having an increasing impact on food production, the deputy head of FAO’s statistics department, Piero Conforti, told AFP.

(With inputs from agencies) 
 
 
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Natural and man-made disasters have led to $3.8 trillion in crop and livestock losses over the last three decades, said the United Nations Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) on Friday (Oct 13) in its first-of-its-kind report that attempted to compile such an estimate.

Natural and man-made disasters have led to $3.8 trillion in crop and livestock losses over the last three decades, said the United Nations Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) on Friday (Oct 13) in its first-of-its-kind report that attempted to compile such an estimate. The world has also lost over $120 billion per year which amounts to five per cent of the annual global agricultural GDP. Findings of the report The UN food agency estimated that disasters like floods, droughts, insect infestations, storms, disease and war have caused $123 billion every year in lost food production between 1991 and 2021, which would have been enough to feed up to half a billion people per year. The new report by FAO titled “The impact of disasters on agriculture and food security” shows the first-ever global estimation of the impact on agricultural production with a focus on crops and livestock due to disasters and aims to put into context the scale of the cost of such events. The report also highlights the need for urgently improving data and information on the impact of disasters and notes how they have increased in frequency from 100 per year in the 1970s to a whopping 400 events per year in the past 20 years. According to FAO, the average annual grain losses amounted to 69 million tonnes in the last three decades or so – which is equivalent to the entire cereal production of France in 2021. ALSO READ | Explained | Int’l day of awareness of food loss & waste reduction: Here's how food waste affects environment Additionally, the world lost some 40 million tonnes of fruit and vegetable production and 16 million tonnes of meat, dairy and eggs to disasters. Around 23 per cent of losses due to disasters were sustained in the agricultural sector. “Agriculture is one of the most highly exposed and vulnerable sectors in the context of disaster risk, given its profound dependence on natural resources and climate conditions. Recurrent disasters have the potential to erode gains in food security and undermine the sustainability of agrifood systems,” said FAO Director-General QU Dongyu in the report. The UN food agency also found that lower and lower middle-income countries witnessed “highest relative” losses of up to 15 per cent of their total agricultural GDP. While Small Island Developing States (SIDS) reportedly lost seven per cent of their agricultural GDP. Impact on women According to the FAO, women were also hit harder than men due to these disasters. This has been attributed to resource and structural constraints which women face to access “information, financial instruments, the resources that they need to prepare to respond to or recover from disaster events,” said the report’s author, Zehra Zaidi. Situation to worsen? The FAO has identified climate change as one of the “systemic drivers of disaster risk” while other factors include pandemics, epidemics and armed conflicts. ALSO READ | World sugar prices hit 13-year high in Sep due to El Nino; food price index 'mostly stable': FAO According to the UN food agency, the disaster events are not only increasing in frequency but also becoming more intense and complex. “The international community is taking stock of the fact that disasters are... increasing tremendously...quadrupling since the 1970s” and are having an increasing impact on food production, the deputy head of FAO’s statistics department, Piero Conforti, told AFP. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Disasters have caused $3.8 trillion crop, livestock losses over 30 years: FAO report

It had been anticipated for a few months but it looks almost certain that Europe might run out of local olive oil supplies and face frequent shortages. The extreme heatwave across Europe, especially the Mediterranean has damaged harvests for the second year in a row.

It had been anticipated for a few months but it looks almost certain that Europe might run out of local olive oil supplies and face frequent shortages. The extreme heatwave across Europe, especially the Mediterranean has damaged harvests for the second year in a row. According to a Guardian report, Europe, the world's largest producer of olive oil has been forced to rely on South America to plug the gap by importing supplies. “Today it is almost physically impossible to buy olive oil. It is sold out,” Walter Zanre, the chief executive of the UK arm of Filippo Berio. Spain, which produces about half of the global olive oil crop, only harvested 750,000 tonnes, more than the 660,000 produced last year but well short of the 1.3 million tonnes target. Consequently, the global production is expected to fall to 2.4 million tonnes. Last year's global demand stood at three million tonnes and it looks highly unlikely that production will reach that level. In Pics | Top nutritionist reveals names of superfoods you need to add to your diet in 2023 Apart from Spain, other important olive oil-growing regions such as Greece, Italy, Portugal, Turkey and Morocco were also hit by extreme weather conditions, affecting the crops. Italy had been planning to produce 350,000 tonnes of olive oil this year but drought and recent hailstorms in the major producing area of Puglia have shattered any such hopes. Meanwhile, Greece is expected to produce only 200,000 tonnes this year which is a third less than last year as fruit fly infestations, in addition to the heatwave cause problems for the farmers. Prices start to rise “We have been saddled with another difficult year. During the early part of the summer we thought things might get better but as the summer has progressed things have got worse," added Zanre. “We’re looking at production rates being cut by half this year. The imbalance in demand and supply has already led to very big price increases, which producers are enjoying but which are very much hurting consumers. Watch | Olive oil demand surges in West Asia × The fear of shortage has already hit the supermarkets. The cost of extra virgin olive oil in southern Spain has shot up to €8.45 per kg this month which is double the price of last year and the highest it has been in the last two decades. Meanwhile, in the UK analysts at Associa remarked that retail prices of olive oil at major supermarkets have climbed 47 per cent in recent weeks. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Europe almost out of local olive oil supplies, prices soar nearly 50%: Report

A drought in the US state of Texas has unveiled a remarkable discovery of more than 70 dinosaur tracks previously concealed beneath the dried-out Paluxy Riverbed. The Paluxy River, typically coursing through Dinosaur Valley State Park, located roughly 90 minutes south of Dallas, is renowned for its dinosaur-related attractions, media reports said. The recently exposed tracks belong to two distinct dinosaur species. The first is a carnivorous theropod closely related to the iconic T. rex, identified as the Acrocanthosaurus. The second is a herbivorous, long-necked sauropod akin to the Brontosaurus, known as the Sauroposeidon. Sauroposeidon also happens to be the state dinosaur of Texas.

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According to media reports, the Acrocanthosaurus stood at approximately 15 feet in height and weighed about seven tonnes, while the towering Sauroposeidon reached over 100 feet in height and weighed around 44 tonnes.

<h2>Distinguishing features of tracks</h2>

Palaeontologists studying these tracks have noted that theropod tracks typically exhibit three toes, whereas sauropod tracks appear more bulbous, resembling the imprints left by elephants.

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/convicted-proud-boys-member-claims-trump-will-pardon-him-in-2024-632198">Convicted Proud Boys member claims Trump will pardon him in 2024</a>

The extreme heat and prolonged drought conditions have offered a unique opportunity for researchers to investigate these newly revealed dinosaur tracks.

Why? This is because, under normal circumstances, this area would be submerged under water.

<h2>Ball Room dinosaur track site</h2>

At the Ball Room dinosaur track site within the park, the limestone bed holding the fossilised imprints reached scorching temperatures of up to 126 degrees. This extreme heat allowed researchers to uncover the most tracks ever documented at this location, reports said quoting Friends of Dinosaur Valley State Park nonprofit.

<h2>A clarification from experts</h2>

Experts emphasised the importance of clarifying that the drought did not reveal perfectly preserved tracks.

Instead, volunteers had to painstakingly remove sediment, sand, and gravel that covered and filled the tracks.

Paleontologist Glen Kuban, with over four decades of experience working in the park and the surrounding area, reportedly told CNN, “It’s important to clarify that the drought does not magically unveil tracks in pristine condition. … It takes many volunteers many days — in this case weeks — to remove the sediment covering and filling the tracks."

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While the drought has provided a temporary window to study these remarkable footprints, the return of rains will inevitably bury the tracks beneath sediment once again. This natural process helps preserve the tracks in the geological short term.

To make the most of the current arid conditions, casts have been created of the exposed footprints, ensuring their preservation for future study.

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A drought in the US state of Texas has unveiled a remarkable discovery of more than 70 dinosaur tracks previously concealed beneath the dried-out Paluxy Riverbed.

A drought in the US state of Texas has unveiled a remarkable discovery of more than 70 dinosaur tracks previously concealed beneath the dried-out Paluxy Riverbed. The Paluxy River, typically coursing through Dinosaur Valley State Park, located roughly 90 minutes south of Dallas, is renowned for its dinosaur-related attractions, media reports said. The recently exposed tracks belong to two distinct dinosaur species. The first is a carnivorous theropod closely related to the iconic T. rex, identified as the Acrocanthosaurus. The second is a herbivorous, long-necked sauropod akin to the Brontosaurus, known as the Sauroposeidon. Sauroposeidon also happens to be the state dinosaur of Texas. Also Read | Microsoft's WordPad, launched in 1995, set to be removed from Windows According to media reports, the Acrocanthosaurus stood at approximately 15 feet in height and weighed about seven tonnes, while the towering Sauroposeidon reached over 100 feet in height and weighed around 44 tonnes. Distinguishing features of tracks Palaeontologists studying these tracks have noted that theropod tracks typically exhibit three toes, whereas sauropod tracks appear more bulbous, resembling the imprints left by elephants. Also Read | Convicted Proud Boys member claims Trump will pardon him in 2024 The extreme heat and prolonged drought conditions have offered a unique opportunity for researchers to investigate these newly revealed dinosaur tracks. Why? This is because, under normal circumstances, this area would be submerged under water. Ball Room dinosaur track site At the Ball Room dinosaur track site within the park, the limestone bed holding the fossilised imprints reached scorching temperatures of up to 126 degrees. This extreme heat allowed researchers to uncover the most tracks ever documented at this location, reports said quoting Friends of Dinosaur Valley State Park nonprofit. A clarification from experts Experts emphasised the importance of clarifying that the drought did not reveal perfectly preserved tracks. Instead, volunteers had to painstakingly remove sediment, sand, and gravel that covered and filled the tracks. Paleontologist Glen Kuban, with over four decades of experience working in the park and the surrounding area, reportedly told CNN, “It’s important to clarify that the drought does not magically unveil tracks in pristine condition. … It takes many volunteers many days — in this case weeks — to remove the sediment covering and filling the tracks." Watch | Labour reshuffle: Sir Keir Starmer to shake up shadow cabinet × While the drought has provided a temporary window to study these remarkable footprints, the return of rains will inevitably bury the tracks beneath sediment once again. This natural process helps preserve the tracks in the geological short term. To make the most of the current arid conditions, casts have been created of the exposed footprints, ensuring their preservation for future study. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. ×

Texas drought unveils over 70 hidden dinosaur tracks in dry Paluxy riverbed

The Panama Canal is one of the most important shipping routes in the world. But the average wait time for non-booked vessels there jumped by between 44% & 59% last month. The waiting time averaged 8.85 days for south-bound transit & 9.44 days for north-bound transit.

Huge spike in waiting time at the Panama Cana

Drought deals second blow as Sri Lanka struggles back from crisis.

Drought hurts Sri Lanka's economic revival hopes

The Panama Canal a vital lifeline for global trade is currently grappling with its worst traffic jam ever. The canal has become a traffic jam of the seas in total 200 vessels are stuck on either side of the Waterway. Commercial ships are facing long queues and delays to travel through the Panama Canal as a lengthy drought in the Central American country has led to a cut in the number of vessels that can actually pass the crossings every day.

Panama Canal traffic jam: Drought limits the number of vessels able to pass

Iran has reportedly halted the flow of Little Zab river into neighbouring country of Iraq, which is already reeling from drought and desertification. According to the officials, the move by Iran has caused periodic cuts in the water level of Tigres river in Iraq.

Iran cuts flow of Little Zab river into drought-stricken Iraq | World News | WION

Last month has officially been declared the hottest month ever recorded in July and temperatures are expected to rise further affecting the already 55 million people across the globe who have been struck by droughts. One region affected more than most others is West Asia.

West Asia faces severe heat conditions

It's been four long months of heat in Indonesia and a village hasn't seen a drop of rain. Now, to combat this farmers in the village are digging up a dry river bed the salty and muddy water from which is used to save their slowly dying crops.

Village sees zero rain as drought parches Indonesia

Climate change and conflict decimate Syria's grain crop, and farmers suffer not only from an unprecedented heat wave but also from a lack of water and a sporadic electricity supply, both of which are necessary to upkeep their farms.

Syria battles 'Climate War'

Sugarcane growers in India's top producing states are worried scanty rainfall during the crop's crucial growth period could trim yields and reduce sugar output in the upcoming season, farmers and industry as per reports.

India: Low rains may hit sugarcane yield, farmers anxious

As drought dried up rivers in California, the state's officials have decided to put a ban on salmon fishing. In force since April along the entire coast of the golden state and parts of neighbouring Oregon, the ban is supposed to last until the end of the fishing season in September.

Droughts in California hamper salmon fishing

Extreme heat in Mexico triggers drought, exposes submerged Quechula Church

In Pics | Flamingos disappear as Spain's largest wetland dries up

Once a haven of flamingos, now one of Spain's largest lagoons has turned into a salt desert due to severe drought

Spanish lagoon popular with breeding flamingos dries up

Spain has logged its hottest spring ever in the last 60 years of recordkeeping, as average temperatures remained generally two degree&nbsp;Celsius above the usual, reported the national weather agency on Wednesday. &nbsp;

This year, the country also experienced its second driest-ever spring on record, leaving behind the one it faced in 1995, stated the AEMET agency as the prolonged drought hit the country's key agricultural sector.

In 2022, Spain had its hottest year on record and now it is expected to become one of the worst-hit countries of the European Union in terms of climate change.

According to AEMET, the average temperature was "14.2 degree&nbsp;Celsius (57.5 degrees Fahrenheit), which was 1.8 degree&nbsp;Celsius hotter" than normal.

That is "extremely hot, exceeding 1997 -- the hottest spring up to now -- by 0.3 degree&nbsp;Celsius," it added.

"The spring of 2023 was the hottest spring on record in Spain," AEMET stated while speaking about the three-month period that began in March.&nbsp;

The country in late April had battled a major heatwave as local temperatures shot up to 20 degree&nbsp;Celsius above average, increasing the drought.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/spain-to-launch-app-for-wives-to-track-if-husbands-are-doing-household-chores-593818">Spain to launch app for wives to track if husbands are doing household chores</a>

In the month of May, temperatures remained slightly higher than average and then dropped below the average in the month's second half as it received heavy rainfall that helped in cooling down the weather but couldn't alleviate the drought.&nbsp;

"Until almost mid-May, there was no rain," stated AEMET spokesman Ruben del Campo.&nbsp;

"With the rains in the second half of May, the situation has eased a little."

However, the drought, "which is measured over the longer term, has not been resolved," he added.&nbsp;

"How long it would continue would depend on the levels of rainfall later in the year," he stated.&nbsp;

"In this hydrological year so far, we've seen a 20 per cent shortage in rainfall so for that to be resolved, it would need to rain 20 per cent more (than usual) in autumn," Campo further added.&nbsp;

<h2>Hot and hotter&nbsp;</h2>

In the last few years, Spain has been facing more heatwaves and rainfall has been increasingly scarce and irregular.

AEMET forecasters last year recorded "35 days of record-breaking heat when temperatures were above the seasonal average", del Campo stated.&nbsp;

"That's one record every 10 days," he added.&nbsp;

WATCH |&nbsp;Flash floods strike Spain | WION Climate Tracker

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Last month, AEMET stated that Spain had recorded its driest start of the year since it began making such records in 1961, as the country received less than half the normal amount of rain in the first four months of 2023.

As per experts, some parts of Spain are experiencing their driest phase in 1,000 years, as the ongoing drought has forced some farmers not to sow crops this year.

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Spain has logged its hottest spring ever in the last 60 years of recordkeeping, as average temperatures remained generally two degree Celsius above the usual, reported the national weather agency on Wednesday.

Spain has logged its hottest spring ever in the last 60 years of recordkeeping, as average temperatures remained generally two degree Celsius above the usual, reported the national weather agency on Wednesday. This year, the country also experienced its second driest-ever spring on record, leaving behind the one it faced in 1995, stated the AEMET agency as the prolonged drought hit the country's key agricultural sector. In 2022, Spain had its hottest year on record and now it is expected to become one of the worst-hit countries of the European Union in terms of climate change. According to AEMET, the average temperature was "14.2 degree Celsius (57.5 degrees Fahrenheit), which was 1.8 degree Celsius hotter" than normal. That is "extremely hot, exceeding 1997 -- the hottest spring up to now -- by 0.3 degree Celsius," it added. "The spring of 2023 was the hottest spring on record in Spain," AEMET stated while speaking about the three-month period that began in March. The country in late April had battled a major heatwave as local temperatures shot up to 20 degree Celsius above average, increasing the drought. ALSO READ | Spain to launch app for wives to track if husbands are doing household chores In the month of May, temperatures remained slightly higher than average and then dropped below the average in the month's second half as it received heavy rainfall that helped in cooling down the weather but couldn't alleviate the drought. "Until almost mid-May, there was no rain," stated AEMET spokesman Ruben del Campo. "With the rains in the second half of May, the situation has eased a little." However, the drought, "which is measured over the longer term, has not been resolved," he added. "How long it would continue would depend on the levels of rainfall later in the year," he stated. "In this hydrological year so far, we've seen a 20 per cent shortage in rainfall so for that to be resolved, it would need to rain 20 per cent more (than usual) in autumn," Campo further added. Hot and hotter In the last few years, Spain has been facing more heatwaves and rainfall has been increasingly scarce and irregular. AEMET forecasters last year recorded "35 days of record-breaking heat when temperatures were above the seasonal average", del Campo stated. "That's one record every 10 days," he added. WATCH | Flash floods strike Spain | WION Climate Tracker Last month, AEMET stated that Spain had recorded its driest start of the year since it began making such records in 1961, as the country received less than half the normal amount of rain in the first four months of 2023. As per experts, some parts of Spain are experiencing their driest phase in 1,000 years, as the ongoing drought has forced some farmers not to sow crops this year. You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. WATCH WION LIVE HERE

Spain experiences 'hottest spring on record' in 60 years

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The shortage of rainfall due to global warming and droughts pose a threat to operations in the Panama Canal. The Panama canal is one of the most crucial waterways in the world. The ongoing water crisis threatens the future of this maritime route. Here are two artificial lakes in Panama's colony of colon- Alajuela and gatun. These have been depleted due to a lack of rainfall. As a result, Panamanian canal authority limited the largest ships passing through the canal for the fifth time during this drought season.

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