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Sau reservoir in Catalonia on November 23, 2022: A church and the remains of an ancient village, normally submerged by water, are now on the shore.
Photo: Emilio Morenatti / dpa
The drought that persisted in autumn has triggered a water emergency in large parts of Spain.
About 47 percent of the country's total area is affected by prolonged drought, according to a report by the Ministry of the Environment in Madrid, which was picked up by state TV broadcaster RTVE at the weekend.
The dryness of the soil was last evaluated in October 2022, the report for November is expected to be published in the middle of next week.
Current pictures show that drought is still prevailing.
The phenomenon is often associated with summer heat, but what really matters is a lack of precipitation.
The situation is becoming increasingly critical in Seville in the south and in the greater Barcelona area in the north-east of the country, writes the Ministry of the Environment.
In Catalonia it has been raining much less than the average of previous years for around two years.
According to the report, the reservoirs that supply the densely populated region are only 33.8 percent full.
Restrictions on water consumption
If a large seawater desalination plant had not been built in El Prat near Barcelona after the last major drought in 2008, there would have been restrictions on water consumption from last summer, the newspaper El País reported, citing experts.
The plant, which was completed in 2009 and has an annual capacity of 60 billion liters of drinking water, is running at full speed.
So far, the regional government in Barcelona has ordered restrictions on water consumption in more than 500 municipalities in Catalonia, according to a decree published in the Official Journal on Friday.
They therefore initially apply to industry and agriculture.
In many places, the ordinance also restricts the filling of swimming pools and the irrigation of gardens, parks, golf courses and car washing.
The supply of drinking water for hygiene and cooking, on the other hand, is not at risk and is also secured for 2023, the newspaper “La Vanguardia” reported, citing the authorities in Barcelona.
Experts assume a connection with climate change.
While there have been droughts before, such as in 2008, global warming is making them more frequent and prolonged in regions around the Mediterranean, the Environment Ministry said in another document.
In the summer, large parts of Europe suffered from severe droughts, forests burned and river beds were dry.
jme/dpa