In Europe, the flood replaces the heat. France and Spain, where on the eve of the people were languishing from the heat, rains pour. In the future, in spite of the current heavy rains, Spain faces desertification, and France, at least, a prolonged drought.
A similar situation has developed in Spain. A storm warning has been announced in many areas. In the center of a thunderstorm front, which was accompanied by a strong hail, was Valencia. As a result of a lightning strike, a person died there.
In the center of the thunderstorm front, which was accompanied by heavy rain and hail, was Valencia. In the following days, such heavy rains are no longer expected. Although in Spain there is still the possibility of short-term rains, and the heat will decrease a bit: it will not be higher than +28.
However, after the rains in Europe, hot weather is again set. In Rome, the thermometer does not fall below plus thirty degrees. Many metropolitan residents and tourists find salvation in the capital’s fountains. They are not even bothered by the fact that the city authorities imposed a swimming fine of 160 euros.
Spanish and French farmers will not wait for financial assistance from Brussels
Nature decided to mock plenty of inhabitants of Western and Southern Europe. After extreme heat with the threat of drought, rains and thunderstorms fell on France, Switzerland and Spain. In the future, in spite of the current heavy rains, Spain faces desertification, and France, at least, a prolonged drought.
Southern countries – Italy, Spain and Greece – are more accustomed to the summer heat. However, even there people literally languish in the cities, seeking salvation in the fountains. True, in Italy ordinary citizens did not meet with understanding on the part of the authorities, who ordered a fine of 160 euros for the misuse of city fountains. And in Spain, a man even died from a lightning strike on Thursday evening. And yesterday, a storm warning was announced in many parts of the country. Of these, in the end, Valencia, who ended up in the center of a thunderstorm front, was not lucky.
By the way, the current drought and the subsequent heavy rains became an occasion for the inhabitants of these European countries to recall again the problems of water supply in general. According to experts, water shortages in the coming years could be a serious problem. This is especially felt in Spain, where desertification occurs at a catastrophic rate. Spanish scientists are sounding the alarm. According to the National Institute of Spain, the drought that began in March could lead to the complete desertification of Spanish territory! Deserts in Andalusia, Murcia, Valencia and the Canary Islands are already growing at an unprecedented rate. The lack of water there is felt very strongly. Thus, nature responds to the challenge posed by man, and the current heat may become much stronger than the record drought of 1976.
Meanwhile, Spain, like neighboring Portugal, which is experiencing the worst drought in the last 60 years, has already allocated assistance to farms in the amount of 750 million euros. The Spanish government also appealed to the EU leadership to allocate additional subsidies, citing the huge costs caused by fires and drought. Losses, according to the Ministry of Agriculture of Spain, have already exceeded one billion euros.
However, Brussels has already answered Madrid’s request with a refusal, saying that it will only help when the loss exceeds three billion one hundred million euros. The heat caught Spain at an unfortunate moment in the pan-European political crisis, when heated debates around the EU budget for 2007-2013 have not yet led to a result. And it is Spain that is about to be deprived of the financial assistance that it has been entitled to so far from the European box office. So the “greed” of European officials does not seem surprising. And since the Spaniards did this, French farmers also have nothing to hope for. They receive the lion’s share of EU subsidies for agricultural development in the countries of the Union.
The Spanish government has announced the allocation of 750 million euros to support agriculture. True, while people have a more pressing problem: because of the heat, water is often not enough even for drinking, not to mention watering the fields.
In Spain and Portugal, local authorities are not coping with forest fires. Both countries turned to the European Union for help in the fight against the elements. Judging by the emerging trend, fires this summer will be significantly more destructive than the average in recent years. And to extinguish them, you probably need funds from a special EU fund, which is designed to finance the fight against natural disasters.
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