Crushed by a devastating drought and new water restrictions, Daniel Hartwig had no choice but to pull thousands of precious, fragrant almond trees from his California farm. "It breaks your heart," he sighed as he surveyed the once vibrant landscape before him -- curled, yellowed leaves covering the shrunken husks that would have been this year's crop of almonds, had the water arrived.

England is in danger of experiencing droughts within 20 years unless action is taken to combat the impact of the climate crisis on water availability, the public spending watchdog says. The National Audit Office (NAO), in a report published on Wednesday, says some parts of England, especially the south-east, are at risk of running out of water owing to decreased rainfall and a need to cut the amount taken from natural waterways.

For decades Victoria Falls, where southern Africa's Zambezi river cascade down 100 metres into a gash in the earth, have drawn millions of holidaymakers to Zimbabwe and Zambia for their stunning views. But the worst drought in a century has slowed the waterfalls to a trickle, fuelling fears that climate change could kill one of the region's biggest tourist attractions.

Less water in the air means plants grow more slowly, hurting crop yields. It could also add to global warming.

Nearly 50 per cent of the country is currently facing drought with at least 16 per cent falling in the "exceptional" or "extreme" category, according to IIT Gandhinagar scientists managing India's real time drought prediction system. This ongoing drought will pose a lot of challenges in water availability this summer, Vimal Mishra, associate professor at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) told PTI.

Vachellia (Acacia) tortilis The Umbrella Thorn is one of the most characteristic large trees of our dry savanna regions, and occurs from South Africa through eastern Africa into northern Africa and…

The small group of Iranian farmers gathered around their tractors — long idle, parked at the town entrance next to a canal that once irrigated their fields but has been dry for years — and they protested, pleading for help from the government. “We are the people,” shouted Mostafa Benvidi. “Help the people. At night they go to bed hungry!” They held signs addressing officials they blame for their dried-up fields. “How long will you eat your bread made with our blood?” one sign read.

What are human beings capable of when it feels as if the world is about to end?

More than 5 billion people could suffer water shortages by 2050 due to climate change, increased demand and polluted supplies, according to a UN report on the state of the world’s water. The comprehensive annual study warns of conflict and civilisational threats unless actions are taken to reduce the stress on rivers, lakes, aquifers, wetlands and reservoirs.

Solutions range from drinking ocean water to trucking in an iceberg.

Sand blows across a normally submerged area at Theewaterskloof dam near Cape Town, South Africa. The dam, which supplies most of Cape Town's potable water, is currently dangerously low as the city faces 'Day Zero', the point at which taps will be shut down across the city.

South Africa has declared the drought which has seen Cape Town hurtling towards "Day Zero" a national disaster. The government made the announcement after reassessing the "magnitude and severity" of the three-year drought. It has badly affected three of the country's nine provinces.

Cape Town’s taps are due to be turned off because of severe drought. It is not alone in having water woes.

Residents have been rationing their water use because of a very real risk the taps will run dry.

Cape Town is in the middle of an unprecedented drought but critics say authorities failed to adapt to growth. How did one of the wealthiest cities in Africa find itself in this position?

As Cape Town braces for the day when it will run out of water, a campaign to donate water to its residents has become a social media phenomenon.

In Cape Town, South Africa, they're calling it "Day Zero" -- the day when the taps run dry. City officials had recently said that day would come on April 22. This week, they moved up the date to April 12. Cape Town is South Africa's second-largest city and a top international tourist draw. Now, residents play a new and delicate game of water math each day.

Residents must limit their showers to one-and-a-half minutes.

Cape Town is in the grips of a severe drought which could force authorities to turn the city's taps off.

More than 85 percent of mainland Portugal is suffering from severe drought, the Portuguese Institute of Sea and Atmosphere (IPMA) said in a statement on Friday. According to the Palmer Drought Severity Index used by the IPMA, 81 percent of the mainland is experiencing severe drought and 7.4 percent extreme drought. The latter classification is the worst on the scale.