Drone shows low levels at Spanish reservoir

Authorities in Spain’s parched northeast have warned that Barcelona and a wide surrounding area that’s home to some 6 million people could face even tighter restrictions of water use in the coming months.

Footage showed the extent of the drought in the Sau Reservoir in northeast Spain, with dry, parched earth where docks had once floated.Catalonia’s Water Agency said the area would likely be declared in a “drought emergency” by September unless forecasts for scant rain prove incorrect.

Spain’s government said that its reservoirs, along with others in northern Catalonia, have shrunk to 27% of capacity.Sau is now one of three reservoirs that Catalonia’s firefighters have said they will no longer be able to use to reload water to fight wildfires.Most of Spain is bracing for a difficult wildfire season with forests dry and temperatures expected to remain high after a record-hot 2022.