LONDON (dpa-AFX) - Almost three-quarters of England has been declared in drought as conditions worsen following record dry July and a dry start to August.
The National Drought Group has warned that all regions of the country are experiencing pressure on their water resources - with increasing impacts across agriculture, public supplies, navigation, and the environment.
The East Midlands, Lincolnshire & Northamptonshire, Kent & East Sussex, and Solent & the South Downs became the latest to move into drought status.
Along with the areas announced last week, most of the country is now experiencing a flash drought - which develops very quickly brought about by a combination of very low rainfall and higher temperatures. This takes the total to 45 million people in a drought-hit area, covering 71.3 percent of England. More than 27 million people in the country are now living under restrictions on water use, according to the U.K. Department for Environment.
The North East and Yorkshire have moved to prolonged dry weather - the stage before drought - with nowhere now deemed in normal status.
The changes follow the driest July in 190 years and the country getting only 5 percent of expected rainfall so far this month. There are warnings of more dry weather and another heatwave on the way, with temperatures tipped to reach the mid-30s in some places, the Department for Environment warned.
Tony Grayling, Strategic Drought Lead at the Environment Agency and Chair of the National Drought Group, said: 'Drought conditions are worsening and will continue to do so until we see significant and sustained rainfall. We know the hot and dry weather is taking a real toll on farming and there will be long-lasting impacts on our environment'.
The Government has stepped up its drought response and is actively considering ways to give more support to the farming sector.
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