This concerning trend threatens water supplies as demand continues to rise. The "State of Global Water Resources" report, which analyzes data from the past 33 years, emphasizes the severe impact of prolonged droughts on major river basins. Overall, half of the world's catchment areas showed abnormal conditions, with many facing deficits that limit water availability for agriculture and industry.

WMO Secretary-General Celeste Saulo stressed the urgency of the situation, stating, "Water is becoming the most telling indicator of our time of climate's distress." She called for immediate action to safeguard water reserves and improve hydrological monitoring to track and respond to the increasingly erratic water cycles influenced by climate change.

The report also noted that 2023 marked the largest mass loss of the world's glaciers in 50 years, with a staggering 600 gigatonnes of water lost in an extreme melt year. While this temporarily increased river flows in glacier-fed rivers in Europe and Scandinavia, experts caution that these levels will decline significantly as glaciers continue to recede.

Stefan Uhlenbrook, WMO's Director of Hydrology, predicts greater water scarcity in regions that have recorded new heat extremes this year. The ongoing drought in the Amazon, which has caused mud banks to appear in previously navigable areas, further highlights the persistent nature of this crisis. As the world faces these unprecedented challenges to its water resources, the need for comprehensive monitoring, conservation efforts, and adaptive strategies is becoming increasingly critical.