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The Dutch government declared 'actual water scarcity' due to the continued drought and high temperatures and low water levels in the Rhine and Meuse rivers.

This announcement comes at a time when the Netherlands is experiencing a severe shortage of rainfall and a continuous rise in temperatures.

A government statement issued on Saturday explained that the water resource management raised the state of alert to 'level 2', which is described as a state of actual water scarcity.

Photo: Mouneb Taim/AA

The statement added that the announcement came after the continued drought and high temperatures, along with the decline in the levels of the Rhine and Meuse rivers to unusual rates for the current July.

It explained that the authorities will tighten water resource management, stressing that the current situation does not affect drinking water.

The statement urged residents to reduce unnecessary water consumption, pointing out that the drought may continue due to the lack of rain and the continuation of the heat wave.

The Netherlands has been experiencing a shortage of rainfall for a period, coinciding with a heat wave and a continuous rise in temperatures, which has exacerbated the drought and lowered water levels in rivers and waterways.

Although the government confirmed that the current situation does not affect drinking water supplies, the call for rationalizing consumption indicates growing concern. The drought is expected to continue due to the lack of rain, which may lead to stricter measures later. The low levels of the two rivers could also negatively affect navigation and agriculture if the heat wave persists.