Unprecedented drought dries up rivers and shrivels crops across Europe

A view of the dried-up river Tille in Lux, France (Nicholas Garriga/AP)

An unprecedented drought is afflicting nearly half of the European continent and is damaging farm economies, forcing water restrictions and threatening aquatic species.

There has been no significant rainfall for almost two months in Western, Central and Southern Europe. And the dry period is expected to continue in what experts say could be the worst drought in 500 years.