This is what remains of Sicily's only natural lake.
Lake Pusa has been hit hard by severe drought.
Scientists say a lethal mix of hot weather in months
of below average rainfall is to blame Giuseppe Maria Matto
with the environmental group, Le Gambi says the lake
is disappearing, the lake is no longer there.
The part of the water that was visible has completely
disappeared apart from this puddle that we have here,
which will be about 1/100 of the size of the
lake. Everything else is underground in the water table
. What little is left in the water table?
So the lake, in fact, as a is
no more, this is what it used to look
like. Lake Puza surface is usually just under a
square mile and the Roman poet Vi's metamorphoses, it
is described as a place of beauty and eternal spring
. Now, Sicily is grappling with climate change related
high temperatures. Italy's government has declared a state of
emergency over the low rainfall on the island that's devastated
crops and pastures. Sicily set a European heat record
in 2021 when temperatures reached 119째F. Some towns
had to start water rationing. The average temperature in
the Mediterranean area is now 2.7째F higher than 150
years ago, Lake Pera is an indicator of what
Sicily is suffering due to climate change. We knew
and we said it, this will be the first
place in Sicily where we realize that something is happening
and that is what we see before our eyes.
The lake has long served as a vital resting station
for migratory birds between Africa and Europe. Amato says
now hundreds of species will not be able to rest
here in the last 12 months. Under 10 inches
of rain fell on Sicily. According to climate specialist
, Luigi Pao, he is worried about Sicily's future
. If the region remains dry, we are now
living in an emergency situation. The total drying up
and a failure to replenish the water in the autumn
would be truly catastrophic. We have to recognize that
climate change is having an impact. It is beginning
to cause irreversible damage.