Before and after satellite images show how Italy's Po river shrunk between 2020 and 2022

Satellite images shared by European Space Agency of Italy's Po river showed the impact of drought in the region. The Po River, which is the longest river in Italy, is hitting record low water levels after months without heavy rainfall.

It is the largest reservoir of fresh water and much of it is used by farmers. According to the Po River observatory, some areas have been without rain for over 110 days.

The river is experiencing its worst drought in 70 years. The current situation has left many sections of the vast, northern waterway completely dried up.

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The Po river is 652 km long and runs across the entire Po Valley from west to east. With approximately 71,000 square km of surface area, it holds the record for the largest river basin in Italy.

These worrying satellite images show a part of the Po Valley, near Piacenza. Images reveal how the river has significantly shrunk between June 2020 and June 2022.

Sector authority ANBI said that other rivers stretching into central Italy were also far lower than normal at this time of year. The authority added that the current crisis was highlighting "the consequences of climate change on the peninsula".

Many areas of Western Europe have been sweltering under unseasonably hot temperatures over the past week, compounding climate change fears.

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A couple of days ago, the mayor of Milan announced the northern Italian city's fountains would be switched off as part of water restrictions imposed due to a drought.

Beppe Sala announced the measures the day after the wider Lombardy region declared a state of emergency to last until September 30, directing mayors to curtail non-essential water use.

In a statement, Milan's mayor said that an emergency decree would include the "closure of all the fountains except those where fauna and flora are present and the lakes and irrigation ditches of city parks".

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