BREAKING EARTH NEWSPublished: February 27 2006 02:00 Last updated: February 27 2006 02:00
The drought that threatens much of western and southern Europe this summer is already creating problems in France, Spain and the UK, and will grow more serious if meteorologists are right in their predictions
Drought poses a threat to farmers and tourism, but also to electricity generation and industries such as food processing and semiconductors, which require water as an input or for cooling.
Winter rainfall has been disappointing across much of the continent, and with some countries still recovering from the effects of a relatively dry winter last year and the heatwave of 2003, sustained heavy rain over the next two months would be needed to avoid the risk of drought this summer.
