"At the moment, we have a much worse hydrological situation than in the same period last year. Last year's drought was severe. If there is no regular rainfall in the coming weeks, this year's drought may be even worse, perhaps one of the worst in our country's history,” hydrologist and vice president of the Polish Academy of Sciences Professor Paweł Rowiński told state news agency PAP.
A particularly hot summer in Poland last year was followed by a warm winter with scanty snowfall.
“There is nothing that could melt and run down to the rivers,” Rowiński said.
Droughts can only be averted “by using long-term measures that minimize the effects of drought. It should be remembered that droughts are a natural phenomenon, but their regularity since 2018 in Poland is, among other things, caused by global climate change, which is caused by man," Rowiński was quoted by PAP as saying.
Poland has suffered water shortages stemming from a lack of rain and high temperatures for several years.
"Restrictions on access to running water were introduced last year, for example in [the Polish city of] Skierniewice. This scenario may be repeated in other cities, especially where there is only one water intake. Larger cities are better off because the water there is drawn from ground and surface sources,” Rowiński added.
Poles sweltered under heatwaves last summer, though temperatures in other European countries were even higher, with records set in the Netherlands and Germany.
(jh)
Source: PAP