Thousands of homes in southeast England have been left without water or facing very low pressure during a heatwave, as record temperatures and an exceptionally dry spring put a strain on water supplies.
Residents in several areas of Kent have accused the company South East Water of not adequately preparing the network for this situation, after supply interruptions affected homes, businesses and restaurants.
In the coastal town of Whitstable, bottled water distribution points have been set up in supermarket car parks to help residents affected by the power cuts.
South East Water explained that the combination of high heat-related demand and a particularly dry spring had led to a critical drop in reservoir levels and put pressure on the distribution system.
British experts and officials have warned that climate change could worsen these types of water shortages in the future, with more frequent droughts and more intense heatwaves.
Meteorologists say some parts of the UK have had their driest spring in decades, while temperatures this week have reached record levels for May.
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