Yorkshire, England officially enters drought state

China News Service, London, October 9 (Reporter Ouyang Kaiyu) The British Environment Agency announced on October 9 that Yorkshire has officially entered a state of drought. The water levels in local reservoirs and rivers are low, and recent rainfall is not enough to make up for the water resource gap caused by the shortage of precipitation in spring and summer.

Yorkshire was designated as a long-term dry weather area at the end of July this year. After the drought status was upgraded this time, Yorkshire was in a drought status along with central, southern and eastern England, while long-term dry weather continued in the northeast and northwest of England. Data shows that April to September this year was the fifth driest period in York County's history. River water flow and groundwater levels have reached the triggering conditions for drought. Officials said that short-term rainfall cannot quickly alleviate the drought, and the local drought plan will be launched.

The British National Drought Working Group will meet weekly instead, coordinating the coordinated response of the government, meteorology, water affairs, agriculture and environmental protection parties, urging water companies to implement drought plans, repair leaks in pipe networks, reduce water demand, and plan to build 9 large reservoirs through the water bill to improve the long-term water supply risk resistance.

Affected by climate change, the UK has suffered three droughts in the past five years, in 2022, 2025, and 2026. Summers with high temperatures and little rain and winters with heavy rainfall have become more common. Droughts and floods may even occur at the same time. Research estimates that England will need 120% of normal rainfall in the next seven months before the drought can be lifted throughout the country.