Italy fears long-term heatwave consequences as harvests shrink

Italy's first major heatwave of the summer is fuelling fears of another season of extreme drought, with soaring temperatures placing increasing pressure on water supplies and agriculture. 

Lake Trasimeno in the central region of Umbria paints a stark picture of the months ahead. Water levels have fallen sharply and are expected to drop further in the coming weeks, raising concerns about the long-term health of one of the country's most important inland lakes.

Massimo Coltella, director of the local sailing club, told CGTN the situation is dramatic. He said water levels are expected to fall by a further 30 to 35 centimeters by September, describing it as "the worst ever." 

A pattern of stressful summers

The crisis follows years of below-average rainfall and increasingly hot summers across the region. As the shoreline continues to retreat, concerns are growing over the impact on tourism, wildlife and the wider local economy.

Fisherman Daniele Mezzetti told CGTN he is increasingly worried about the future of the lake. He said that if the water crisis continues, the lake will keep disappearing, along with its ecosystem of flora and fauna.

Coltella also warned of long-term consequences, telling CGTN "I hope that politicians understand that if the lake continues like this, it will die. It will become a swamp."

The regional government says emergency measures are already under way, including pumping water into Lake Trasimeno from a nearby reservoir. 

Simona Meloni, Agriculture Assessor for the Umbria Region, told CGTN that water is being transferred from the Montedoglio Dam in Tuscany at a rate of 200 liters per second. 

She said 1.7 million cubic meters have been transferred so far, adding "It's certainly still a small amount, but the operation only started at the end of February."

Agriculture suffering as harvests shrink

Farmer Patrizia Marcelli, who manages 1.85 square kilometers of farmland, told CGTN that crops such as wheat, corn and beans are becoming increasingly difficult to grow, with smaller harvests each year. 

"This June is tremendous, and maybe we are 2 to 3 degrees above what we experienced this time last year," Marcelli says. "The fear is that if this heat persists, we won't even have enough water to irrigate the crops."  

Across Italy, temperatures are climbing well above 40 degrees Celsius in some areas, with Umbria's capital of Perugia among the cities placed under the highest red heat alert. Extreme conditions are expected to continue into next week. 

Forecasters say the current heatwave is likely just a glimpse of what's to come this summer, as climate worries continue to grow across southern Europe.