It’s so hot in Switzerland that helicopters are airlifting water to thirsty cows
Dead fish have also been scooped from rivers and lakes in Switzerland in recent days, as the heat raised water temperatures
Swiss army helicopters have started airlifting water to thousands of thirsty cows who are suffering in a drought and heatwave that has hit much of Europe.
Large red plastic containers hung from the bottom of the Super Puma helicopters carried the water this week to farms in the Jura Mountains and Alpine foothills.
Some 40,000 cows graze in the summertime in high-altitude pastures in Vaud canton in western Switzerland and each needs up to 150 litres (40 gallons) of water a day, authorities said.
Several dozen farmers have called a special hotline to request help from the helicopters since the emergency operation was announced last Friday.
“I’ve been renting this pasture for 13 years now. We had to airlift water sometimes but never that much,” Gregoire Martin, who runs a farm with 68 cows and 90 head of young cattle at Le Culand pasture in Rossiniere, said.
