The Thames is an iconic river in the heart of London (UK), seemingly unalterable. But to the west of the capital, approaching the source, the river today presents a completely different face, and in some places it has disappeared. In the village of Ashton Keynes (United Kingdom), the bed of the stream, at the foot of the houses, is in fact nothing more than a strip of land several hundred meters long. A shock to the inhabitants. “It can dry out here sometimes, but never for as long and for such a distance as this summer“Assures one of them.
In Ashton Keynes, there is only one place left with water on the way to the river, a small pond that stops very quickly. This is the consequence of a hot summer in the UK, with temperatures up to 40 ° C: unheard of in the country. To find the Thames with a continuous flow, it is necessary walk about ten kilometers downstream. In recent days, some violent downpours have slightly improved the situation, without returning the Thames to a normal level.