Source of Britain's River Thames driest ever as drought nears

A general view of a weir and dried riverbed near the source of the River Thames, in Kemble, in Gloucestershire, Britain August 10, 2022. REUTERS/Lucy Marks

LONDON (Reuters) - The source of the River Thames has dried up further downstream than ever before, as England looks set to enter a drought that some experts say the country is unprepared for.

Britain's Met Office said this July was the driest for England since 1935 with average rainfall, at 23.1 millimetres (0.9 inches), just 35% of the average for the month. Some parts of the country saw the driest July ever.