REPORTAGE
Belgium hit by a wave of drought
Potato plants during a heat wave in Vezin, between Namur and Andenne (Illustration image).
AFP - JOHN THYS
Text by: RFI Follow
2 mins
Drought is no longer the prerogative of the countries of the South.
This year, it is glaringly visible in Europe and particularly in Belgium.
While last year, at the same time, the east of the country had just been affected by deadly floods, water restriction measures had to be taken by the local authorities.
Report in Pepinster, in the Vesdre valley.
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With our correspondent in Brussels,
Jean-Jacques Héry
In Pepinster, seagulls have never been so numerous.
Hundreds of them land on the Vesdre, attracted by the easy food offered by a river that is only a few centimeters deep.
“
The last drought I experienced, but I never saw the rivers like this, was in 1976
,” recalls Albert Govaerts, secretary of the local fishing federation.
“
It is no longer our river.
»
The reservoirs of the dams are at their lowest.
The groundwater level too.
So Thia says he respects the water restriction measures decided by the mayor.
“
When you do the dishes, you fill your sink, those who have cars try to wash their cars less.
» Prohibited the use of water from the distribution network for watering courtyards, lawns and gardens, and also ended the filling of swimming pools other than facilities of collective interest.
“
The heat we have these days is becoming quite catastrophic.
On the other hand, last year, we had so much water here...
”, recalls Thia.
Because at the same time,
deadly floods
ravaged the small town and the valley.
A violent flood and now a drought, the two sides of the current global warming, explains Xavier Fetuez, professor of climatology at the University of Liège.
“
Summers will become drier and drier, but at the same time, climate change will favor extreme rainy events, like the one we had in July 2021.
” For the moment, no precipitation of any magnitude n is expected in Belgium in the coming weeks
► To read also:
Belgium: national day of mourning for the victims of the floods
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