In Sudan, date palm trees are an economic lifeline for residents of Northern State. However, drought and successive wildfires in recent years have damaged thousands of trees, threatening the livelihoods of farmers across the region.
Published On 29 Aug 202629 Aug 2026
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Drought and extreme heat are drying up rivers and farmland across Europe, with record-low water levels disrupting agriculture, shipping and even nuclear power plants that rely on rivers for cooling.
Published On 28 Aug 202628 Aug 2026
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THEY say the grass isn’t always greener on the other side, but it appears it is when you look over the fence of Mark Wright’s Essex mansion.
The former Towie star has come under fire from fans for his very healthy looking lawn – despite the region’s new hosepipe ban after multiple heatwaves.
Essex and Suffolk Water introduced a hosepipe ban earlier this month as a result of a lack of rain this summer.
Under a temporary use ban, customers cannot use a hosepipe, sprinkler, or pressure washer for various activities, such as watering plants or filling up hot tubs.
However, Mark took to Instagram earlier this week to share a video of himself relaxing in his outdoor pool, with his green garden grass seen behind him.
As he sipped on cocktails in the clip, Mark was sharing his at-home drinks recipe with fans.
However, fans were more confused over his garden than his homemade mojito.
One user commented below the video: “Amazing grass considering a huge hose pipe ban and much of Essex not have basic water access ATM. Man of the people I see”.
“The grass is looking nice and green 😂,” said a second.
A third wrote: “FYI everyone else has a hosepipe ban?! ?”
“Picture of your house with luscious green grass going around social media while every surrounding bit of land is dead?
“Let all the farmers put their cattle on your land and eat the grass!! They are struggling,” slammed another.
Mark and his wife Michelle moved into their £3.5 million mansion in 2022, after spending years building it into their dream home.
Aug. 16 (UPI) — Lake Powell, a vital man-made water reservoir on the Colorado River, has fallen to its lowest level on record as the U.S. West endures a severe, long-lasting drought, official statistics show.
The lake’s levels fell to 3519.91 feet on Saturday — low enough to break the record of 3,519.92 feet set in April 2023, according to a reading published Sunday by the Bureau of Reclamation.
Federal officials say the effects of long-term drought had reduced Colorado River Basin system storage to about 36% of capacity as of April. This was due to a combination of the lowest snowpack on record last winter and record-breaking heat in March, which intensified drought conditions across the river basin.
The situation has set off widespread concerns over elevated risks to the essential water and power infrastructure that supplies more than 40 million people across the West.
The lake, which spans Utah and Arizona, is a reservoir created by the Glen Canyon Dam in Page, Ariz.
The Bureau of Reclamation in April predicted Lake Powell’s water year minimum probable inflow at just 2.78 million acre-feet — only 29% of historical average and one of the lowest on record.
It also warned lake could decline to below 3,490 feet — the minimum power pool level — by this summer without major intervention.
If Glen Canyon Dam declines below that level, water releases would be restricted, creating “uncertainty for users, downstream impacts, instability in regional power and water supplies, and a reduction in power generation.”
Another vital reservoir in the Colorado River Basin, Lake Mead, is also currently at its lowest level since it was created in the 1930s.
The Bureau of Reclamation and the Department of the Interior remain “committed to reducing the collective risk of both Lake Powell and Lake Mead falling below critical elevations to protect critical infrastructure to continue to meet the water and hydropower needs of the basin,” a spokesman told CNN on Sunday.
The Copernicus Climate Change Service says historically low rainfall has worsened the situation in several countries.
Published On 10 Aug 202610 Aug 2026
Western Europe has experienced its hottest June and July on record this summer, according to the European Union’s climate change monitor.
The Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) said on Monday that the region’s average temperature over the two-month period was 21.62 degrees Celsius (70.9 degrees Fahrenheit), 2.79C (5.01F) above average and higher than the previous record set in 2022.
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This reflected “the exceptional persistence of heat” so far this summer, C3S said.
The climate change monitor also said levels of soil moisture were “significantly lower” than in July 2022 when the last severe drought gripped Western Europe.
“July 2026 was the third consecutive month of exceptional heat in Western Europe, bringing the combined temperature for June and July to a new record for the region,” said Samantha Burgess, strategic lead for climate at the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts.
“Persistent high-pressure systems trapped heat over Western Europe. The extreme temperatures also amplified widespread drought. As soils dry out, they lose their ability to provide natural cooling, allowing heat to build more readily. This is a clear example of how climate change is intensifying heat extremes with heat and drought increasingly reinforcing one another.”
Several rivers experienced exceptionally low water levels, including the Seine, Rhine and Danube. The low flows affected water supplies and irrigation and led Hungary and Slovenia to operate their only nuclear power plants at reduced capacity.
France and Spain also registered record levels of drought, which fuelled devastating wildfires.
A megafire burned nearly 42,000 hectares (103,785 acres) and forced the evacuation of more than 220,000 people in southwestern France’s Gironde department in late July.
At the same time, Spain’s largest wildfire in recent history scorched almost 44,000 hectares (108,725 acres) in Avila province near Madrid.
The report also warned that large fires can send smoke high into the atmosphere, allowing it to travel thousands of kilometres and affect air quality in other countries.
The C3S also said the highest sea surface temperatures on record outside the polar regions were recorded in July. The average sea surface temperature was 20.96C (69.7F), slightly higher than the previous record of 20.89C (69.6F) in 2023.
Much of the country will feel some relief from the heat early in the week before temperatures spike again.
On Monday, the air will feel a little fresher compared to the weekend with maximum temperatures in northern areas of the UK around 18 to 24C.
Further south, while cooler than Sunday, it will still be a very warm day with temperatures between 22 to 27C.
By Tuesday, warmer air will start to move back in across the UK with the highest temperatures across central southern England, the Midlands and east Wales.
Yellow heat-health alerts remain in force for much of England until 21:00 BST on Tuesday, though they are likely to be extended or upgraded as the heatwave nears.
Highs are likely to be around 27 to 30C.
Wednesday will see temperatures widely across England and Wales head into the high twenties and low thirties.
The peak of the extreme heat is set to arrive on Thursday, with temperatures reaching 36C (97F) in south-east England, and up to 35C likely across central and eastern England.
This would mark the fourth consecutive month where 35C has been reached in the UK – a new record.
Many locations will exceed their heatwave threshold of 25 to 28C – dependent on location – for the first day.
Some of the warmth will spread further north into northern England, Scotland and Northern Ireland with temperatures into the low to mid-20s Celsius.
As heat builds throughout the week, overnight temperatures will stay relatively high bringing some uncomfortable nights for sleeping.
Minimum temperatures may not go lower than 16 to 18C across England and Wales.
There’s also a possibility of a ‘tropical night’ – where temperatures remain above 20C all night – in south-east England.
