England have officially descended into drought, authorities announced on Friday, urging residents and businesses in affected areas to conserve water in the driest summer, reports CNN.
The Environment Agency announced that, country's south, southwest and southeast are in drought, along with central and eastern regions, after convening the National Drought Group. Parts of the capital, London, are also affected.
The UK has had five consecutive months of below-average rainfall and back-to-back heat waves, with temperatures expected to peak on Saturday as high as 37 Celsius in some parts.
According to UK Met office, southern England received just 17% of its average rainfall in July.
England’s Water Minister Steve Double said, “We are currently experiencing a second heatwave after what was the driest July on record for parts of the country. Action is already being taken by the Government and other partners including the Environment Agency to manage the impacts."
"All water companies have reassured us that essential supplies are still safe, and we have made it clear it is their duty to maintain those supplies," he added.
