Devastating drought spreads from Texas into the US Midwest

A DEVASTATING drought deepened over the last week in many areas of Texas, spreading through more of the plains and going into the Midwest, as triple-digit temperatures baked already thirsty crops and livestock.

The Corn Belt states of South Dakota, Iowa, Illinois and Indiana saw drought develop quickly as the important corn-growing region got only spotty rainfall amid the high heat, according to the weekly US Drought Monitor, produced by a consortium of national climate experts.

Abnormal dryness intensified to moderate drought over the last week, the report said.