Shockingly brown and unsightly, these are the capital’s famous “green spaces” that draw tourists and locals alike by the hundreds of thousands in the summer.
London’s normally lush, grassy parks have been parched by weeks of drought and relentlessly hot weather.
Aerial views show Hyde Park and the Wanstead Flats in east London looking like the savannahs of Africa, with only trees providing the usual shades of green. Even the Queen could not escape the effects of the heat wave.
The grounds of Buckingham Palace, adjacent to the now ironically named Green Park, are similarly arid and scorched.
Meanwhile, groundskeepers at Lord’s near Hyde Park appear to have been using the hose freely.
The hallowed cricket ground is still rich and green despite the lack of rain in recent weeks.
It comes as an official drought was declared for more than half of England yesterday as temperatures soared higher than in the Bahamas.
Aerial views show London’s Hyde Park to the west of the city looking like the savannah of Africa
Meanwhile, groundskeepers at Lord’s near Hyde Park appear to have been using the hose freely. The hallowed cricket ground is still rich and green despite the lack of rain in recent weeks.
Supermarkets are even beginning to ration water
A supermarket rationed bottled water sales yesterday as shoppers stocked up in the heat.
An Aldi in Harringay, north London, put up signs on the shelves telling customers they could only buy five single bottles and three multipacks. It read: “Borders are necessary to help you and your neighbors find the products you need.”
Aldi said it will not impose a national restriction on bottled water sales. Meanwhile, Asda yesterday became the latest retailer to take disposable grills off its shelves in a bid to reduce the risk of wildfires.
The temporary ban was followed by similar moves by Sainsbury’s, Marks & Spencer, Co-op, Morrisons, Ocado and Tesco. Waitrose and Aldi have permanently stopped selling the grills.
Activists said a complete ban on sales was necessary to stop the risk of fire. An Asda spokesman said: “In light of the ongoing heatwave and drought, we have now taken the decision to temporarily suspend sales of disposable grills across the UK.”
Toby Tyler, whose son William, 11, needed a skin graft after stepping on sand heated by a disposable grill, said retailers need to step up their responsibilities.
The Stockport teacher said, “You need to recognize the human hurt and waste elements of this problem.”
A total of 30 million people are now affected by the drought status, which is likely to trigger more hose bans.
It came as temperatures shot up to 33°C (91°F), making Britain hotter than Nassau in the Bahamas and Kingston in Jamaica, where it was 31°C (88°F).
The Environment Agency issued the drought decree for eight of its 14 areas in England. But shortly thereafter, weather experts said the summer would “end with a bang” for some regions with “intense thunderstorms.”
The Met Office warned hailstorms, thunder and lightning will sweep the UK from tomorrow with flash floods pouring across the hard-baked ground. It issued a yellow thunderstorm warning that up to a month of rain – 50mm – could fall in “intense” bursts tomorrow and Monday.
The EA said the drought declaration was based on rainfall, river courses, groundwater and reservoir levels, and soil dryness.
The areas now officially affected by drought are: Devon and Cornwall, Solent and South Downs, Kent and South London, Herts and North London, East Anglia, Thames, Lincolnshire and Northamptonshire and the East Midlands.
It came after agency chiefs held a meeting with the National Drought Group, which includes water companies, regulators and others like the National Farmers’ Union.
The EA said the drought status means companies will “amplify” their water conservation efforts. Meanwhile, Yorkshire Water announced a hosepipe ban for its five million customers from August 26 – although the county is not officially “in a drought”.
The company said on its website: “You heard about dry January – well in Yorkshire we had a dry March, April, May, June and July with 34 per cent less rain than the long term average.”
Southern Water, South East Water and Welsh Water have all imposed hose bans along with the Isle of Man. Thames Water has signaled it is “ready to go” with a ban for its 15million customers, but has not done so yet.
The Wanstead Flats in east London have been hit hard by the lack of rain
Breaking a ban could fine a garden waterer or car wash £1,000, with firms urging neighbors to inform those who are breaking the law.
It comes after the driest July on record for some areas and the driest first half of the year since 1976. The EA said total water levels in England’s reservoirs were 65 per cent of normal capacity at the end of July – the lowest level for that point in the calendar year since 1995.
Other data showed that 29 percent of rivers are “exceptionally low.”
The government stressed that the taps would not dry up.
Water Secretary Steve Double said: “All water companies have reassured us that the basic service is still secure and we have made it clear that it is their duty to maintain that service.”
A yellow extreme heat warning for half the country south of Manchester is in effect until tomorrow when temperatures can reach as high as 35C (95F).
Jason Kelly of the Met Office said: “The current hot weather will give way to a thunderstorm out of the west which will spread south and east early next week.
The grounds of Buckingham Palace, adjacent to the now ironically named Green Park, are similarly arid and scorched
“Before that, isolated but intense thunderstorms are possible on Sunday and Monday.
“The alerts highlight the likelihood of around 50mm of rain falling in some locations in three hours in the north, while some areas further south could see around 30mm of rain. Hail and frequent lightning are also possible as part of these downpours and present an additional hazard.’
His Met Office colleague Paul Davies added: “The rain could be of sufficient intensity to result in high-velocity currents, flash flooding and debris as slow-moving thunderstorms deposit rain onto baked, hardened surfaces and drain water into potential flooding downstream . ‘ He said: “For some … the summer will end with a ‘bang’ as violent thunderstorms are forecast for early next week.”
Water expert Professor Hannah Cloke of the University of Reading said the rain would not be enough to save the UK from a drought.
She said: “This is unlikely to last long or be widespread enough to make much difference to some exceptionally low levels in reservoirs and rivers.”