Catalonia hit by historic drought

A 30-minute drive from Barcelona (Spain), in Vallirana, in Catalonia, rain is rare. Due to the historic drought, the municipality declared a state of emergency two months ago. Water restrictions are imposed. Tanker trucks provide supplies, and filling containers has become a vital operation for residents.

Tank levels at their lowest

“You can’t do the dishes, the laundry, no washing machine either… Nothing, even for necessities. There is almost no water”, testifies Alex Fonseca, a resident of Vallirana. In the fields, the grass is much less green than three years ago. The land is arid, and the harvests are catastrophic. “Last season, in this region, 100% of the grain harvest was lost, 90% of the fodder harvest, and the same for oil”confides Francesc Bancells, pspokesperson for the Agricultural Union in the Vallès region. The level of the reservoirs that usually supply Catalonia has never been so low.