Lake Garda water levels lowest in 15 years amid record heatwave

Northern Italy is experiencing its worst drought in 30 years, costing billions in losses to agriculture sector

The water of Lake Garda has sunk to its lowest level in 15 years, as Italy weathers a series of extreme heatwaves and severe drought.

Striking images taken at Italy’s largest lake showed several metres of rockbed exposed on the peninsula of Sirmione as water levels dropped dramatically.

The change has significantly altered the landscape of the lake, with the temperature of the water rising several degrees above average, bringing it closer to that of the Caribbean Sea.