A severe drought hitting swathes of Europe is "worsening" and, while rain is helping some regions, accompanying thunderstorms are causing their own damage, EU researchers said in a report Monday.

The latest monthly analysis by the European Union's Global Drought Observatory (GDO) highlighted the risk of ongoing soil dryness caused by successive heatwaves since May and a "persistent lack" of rainfall.

It maintained its warning issued with the previous report that nearly half of the EU's territory is at risk of drought, and noted that shrivelling rivers and shrinking water sources are impacting energy generation at power plants and reducing crops.

"The severe drought affecting many regions of Europe since the beginning of the year has been further expanding and worsening as of early August," said the report, published by the European Commission's Joint Research Centre.

Increasing "drought hazard" was predicted for big chunks of Italy, Spain, Portugal, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, Ireland, Luxembourg, Romania and Hungary, as well as non-EU countries Britain, Serbia, Ukraine and Moldova.

In all, it calculated that 17 percent of Europe was now in its red-alert category, higher than the 11 percent given in July.

"Recent precipitation (mid-August) may have alleviated drought conditions in some regions of Europe. However, in some areas, associated thunderstorms caused damages, losses, and may have limited the beneficial effects of precipitation," it said.

Mediterranean parts of the EU should expect "warmer and drier than usual conditions" up to November, it said.

Regions hit with rain "anomalies" in the past three months included parts of Portugal, Spain, southern France, central Italy, Switzerland, southern Germany and much of Ukraine.

The GDO report said that normal levels of rain were likely to now come to parts of Europe between August and October but they "may not be enough to fully recover from the deficit cumulated in more than half a year".

Parts of Spain, Portugal and Croatia may continue to suffer "drier than normal weather conditions" however, while dry conditions in the Alps were likely to ease.

The report said that atmospheric conditions linked to the sort of heatwaves baking Europe were, over May, June and July, at their highest since 1950.

Kim Kardashian among celebrities flouting US drought rules: report
Los Angeles (AFP) Aug 22, 2022 - Kim Kardashian and celebrity neighbors including Sylvester Stallone have been handed warnings for repeatedly flouting water restrictions at their homes in drought-hit California, the Los Angeles Times reported Monday.

Strict water limits -- imposed as the western United States endures its 23rd successive year of drought, worsened by human-caused climate change -- are in place across swathes of southern California, including the affluent neighborhoods of Calabasas and Hidden Hills.

But more than 2,000 residents of the two glitzy enclaves north of Los Angeles, known for their sprawling green lawns and giant swimming pools, are continuing to breach the limits, often by eye-watering amounts.

Celebrity reality stars Kim and Kourtney Kardashian were among repeat offenders in June, the newspaper reported, citing notices obtained via a Public Records Act request.

A Hidden Hills home and adjacent lot owned by a trust linked to Kim Kardashian exceeded their water allowance by a combined 232,000 gallons (878,000 liters) for the month, while her sister Kourtney's property in nearby Calabasas was around 100,000 gallons in excess.

"Rocky" star Stallone's $18-million Hidden Hills property exceeded its June limits by 230,000 gallons, or 533 percent, having been 195,000 gallons over the limit the previous month, it said.

Repeat offenders are initially fined hundreds of dollars, but deep-pocketed homeowners who are still not dissuaded can eventually have their supplies physically reduced to a trickle.

Water authorities in Las Virgenes Municipal Water District, covering Calabasas and Hidden Hills, have already installed metal flow restrictor devices at around 20 properties' main shutoff valves, the newspaper reported.

A representative for the Kardashians did not immediately respond to AFP request for comment.

Stallone's lawyer told the Times that its report "could mischaracterize and misrepresent the situation" at a property sustaining around 500 mature trees, saying his clients had "proactively" installed a drip irrigation system and let certain lawns die.

Others named in the newspaper's investigation included comedian Kevin Hart and former NBA basketball star Dwyane Wade.

Famous for its rows of palm trees, Los Angeles has also traditionally been known for its lush, green lawns, often maintained with automatic sprinklers.

Residents are increasingly replacing their thirsty lawns with plants native to this desert region, and Las Virgenes spokesman Mike McNutt said he hoped celebrities could set a positive example.

"People listen to you, people look at you, people value what you do," he said.

"We need you to step up to the plate, to be examples and to be leaders so that other people will follow."

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Wales declares drought in several regions
London (AFP) Aug 19, 2022
A drought was officially declared Friday in parts of Wales, days after several regions in England, following a lengthy period of dry weather without rain and record temperatures. Areas affected include North Ceredigion, Teifi, Pembrokeshire, Carmarthen, Swansea, Llanelli, Neath Port Talbot and Bridgend. Water companies in most of Wales have already imposed restrictions on water use, including a hosepipe ban. Drought was officially declared across most of England last week following the dries ... read more