ROME: The historic fountains in Saint Peter’s Square at the Vatican lay empty on Tuesday after the tiny city state turned them off as Italy struggles with a prolonged draught.

The dry basins of the two fountains by 17th-century sculptors Carlo Maderno and Gian Lorenzo Bernini were symbolic of a period of sweltering temperatures which have devastated farms and forced Rome to consider water rationing.

Ten regions across the country have called for a state of emergency to be declared after Italy suffered the second-driest spring in 60 years and rainfall in the first six months of the year was down 33 per cent.

The dry spell has deprived Italy of 20 billion cubic metres of water so far this year — the equivalent of Lake Como.

Published in Dawn, July 26th, 2017