Minister Capoulas told journalists on the sidelines of a European Union council of ministers meeting that he did “not hide any concern” and that the country’s southern region was facing a “minor drought”, even though it was mid-winter.


He said pastures, cereals and groundwater recharge could suffer the consequences and pointed out that last year, March had been the rainiest month, enabling the country to refill dams.


According to the Portuguese Sea and Atmosphere Institute’s meteorological draught index available online, on 31 December 53.3 percent of the territory was facing “minor drought,” while 13.7 percent was classified as “normal” and 33 percent with “light rain.”