the Thames is suffering from a historic drought

The River Thames is an iconic river in the heart of London (UK), which is seemingly unalterable. But to the west of the capital, getting closer to the source, the river presents a completely different face these days, and has disappeared in places. In the village of Ashton Keynes (United Kingdom), the bed of the stream, at the foot of the houses, is in fact no more than a strip of land over several hundred meters. A shock for the inhabitants. “It can get dry here sometimes, but never as long and for such a distance as this summer“, assures one of them.

In Ashton Keynes, there is only one place left with water in the way of the river, a small pond which stops very quickly. This is the consequence of a scorching summer in the United Kingdom, with temperatures of up to 40°C: unheard of in the country. To find the Thames with a continuous flow, it is necessary walk about ten kilometers downstream. In recent days, a few violent showers have slightly improved the situation, without bringing the Thames back to a normal level.