Drought

Europe Suffered Summer Drought and Heat

A European Commission report shows that a wide swath of the continent has just endured an exceptionally dry and hot summer.

It documents how nuclear and fossil fuel power plants that rely on rivers for cooling were forced to reduce power or even shut down.

Rainfall up to 60 percent below normal halted some river traffic, killed crops and sparked more frequent wildfires.

But the news wasn’t entirely bad for solar power production, wine producers and tourism that involved outdoor activities, the report says.

Areas experiencing the heat and lack of rainfall include France, Belgium, Germany, Luxembourg, Hungary, the Czech Republic, northern Italy and northern Spain.