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WEDNESDAY EDITION
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WEDNESDAY • 6 AUGUST 2025 • ISSUE 952 • PUBLISHED EVERY WEDNESDAY AND SUNDAY
MATTHEW
FARRUGIA
mfarrugia@mediatoday.com.mt
Malta became a
desert in 2024
MALTA was officially classified as hav-
ing "arid" climate conditions in 2023–
2024, marking a worrying milestone
in the country's ongoing struggle with
drought and water scarcity.
According to a new report by the Energy
and Water Agency (EWA), the hydrolog-
ical year between 1 October 2023 and 30
September 2024 was the driest on record.
Rainfall levels were so low that the islands
temporarily experienced conditions typi-
cal of desert regions.
This emerges from the Aridity Index
(AI) cited in the MWA's report. The in-
dex shows that in nine out of the last 10
years, the country experienced semi-arid
conditions, with 2023-2024 classified as
dry.
What is aridity?
Aridity refers to how dry a region is by
comparing annual rainfall to the amount
of water lost through evaporation and
plant use—a measure known as the Arid-
ity Index.
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JAMES
DEBONO
jdebono@mediatoday.com.mt
The hydrological year between 1 October 2023 and 30 September 2024 was the driest on record (Photo: James Bianchi/MaltaToday)
The MaltaToday Midweek
edition will be back in
print on 20 August
TWO 27-year-olds have been charged with
smuggling cocaine, cannabis and ecstasy
pills from Sicily into Malta.
Osmajic Branko, a man from Montenegro
and Nikolina Vranic, a woman from Serbia
were arraigned on Tuesday morning, and
pleaded not guilty to the charges brought
against them.
Two remanded
in custody
after pleading
not guilty to
smuggling drugs
from Sicily
MAYA GALEA
mgalea@mediatoday.com.mt
Osmajic Branko (top), from Montenegro and Nikolina
Vranic (above) from Serbia were arraigned on
Tuesday morning (Photo: James Bianchi/MaltaToday)
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