Record drought for early July in Europe and the Mediterranean basin

More than half (52 percent) of soils in Europe and the Mediterranean basin were affected by drought at the beginning of July, according to AFP's analysis of the latest data from the European Drought Observatory (EDO).

This is the highest rate recorded for the period from July 1 to 10 since observations began in 2012, 21 percentage points higher than the 2012-2024 average. However, the level of drought slightly decreased compared to the last ten days of June, when the absolute record was reached with 55.5 percent of Europe and Mediterranean coasts affected.

The drought indicator from the European Copernicus program observatory, based on satellite observations, combines three parameters: precipitation, soil moisture and vegetation condition. It is divided into three drought levels (monitoring, warning, alert).

Eastern Europe is the hardest hit. In Kosovo, Serbia and Bulgaria, nearly 100% of soils are affected by drought and more than a third are on alert. Water cuts affected more than 156,000 people in Bulgaria in mid-July, as this resource becomes increasingly scarce each year. In Hungary, nearly half the territory was on alert at the beginning of July (47 percent), a significant increase compared to the end of June (21 percent).

Across all levels, drought is also pronounced in the eastern Mediterranean, especially in Armenia (95percent.) In Turkey (77 percent), the situation, combined with strong winds, has led to hundreds of fires. Half of Syria is also affected by a drought that threatens the wheat harvest and puts more than 16 million residents at risk of food insecurity this year, according to the U.N.

In Western Europe, the situation is more mixed. In the United Kingdom, 18 percent of soils are on alert, up more than 6 points compared to the end of June. France is also affected, with 12 percent of its territory on alert, mainly in the west. In total, two-thirds of French soils are affected by drought. By contrast, Spain and Portugal remain relatively protected, with very low drought rates (6 percent and 1 percent.)