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Drought declared across South West England after prolonged dry conditions

A drought has been officially declared across the whole of South West England on Tuesday (August 30) following prolonged dry weather conditions not experienced in 90 years.
The Environment Agency declared that Bristol, Somerset, Dorset, south Gloucestershire and parts of Wiltshire in the south west have all received drought status.
Chris Paul, an EA official, said: “Despite some heavy rain over the past 2 weeks, it has not been enough to refill our rivers and aquifers River levels across our Wessex area are exceptionally low - many showing the lowest flows on record.”
“This places incredible strain on local wildlife and this is why we are moving to drought status. We are prioritising our local operations to minimise impacts on the environment,” he added.
As a result of two successive heatwaves and minimal rainfall, some of the UK’s major water systems have experienced low river flows. Water reservoirs have steadily been depleted and many villages across drought-hit areas were in need of water supplies.

The EA uses a four-stage process to explain and manage drought conditions. These include prolonged dry weather, drought, severe drought and recovering drought.
This year the UK has experienced its hottest and driest summer with the months of July and August recording temperatures between 35-40 degrees Celsius (95-104 degrees Fahrenheit).
Hosepipe ban comes into force across much of England
Earlier this month, a drought was declared in England’s South East as well as parts of southern Wales.
Drought is a deficiency in precipitation over an extended period. It is a part of normal climate variability in many climate zones.
Europe is experiencing its worst drought in 500 years. A staggering 64% of the European Union is experiencing drought warning or alert conditions, including much of England, Italy, Ireland, France, Spain, Germany, and many more countries.
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BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”
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