Ankara: Authorities in Belgium's Wallonia region have decided to maintain drought-related restrictions as water shortages continue and the risk of wildfires remains high, broadcaster RTL Info reported Thursday. The regional drought task force met Thursday to assess the latest situation and concluded that conditions across Wallonia remain unchanged, with areas classified as dry to very dry.

According to Anadolu Agency, authorities stated that recent rainfall has not been sufficient to improve the situation. Approximately 5 liters (1.3 gallons) of rain per square meter was recorded on Sunday, while five to six times that amount would be needed to restore water levels to normal. River flows across the region continue to be significantly low.

As a result, restrictions introduced by the Walloon Public Service will remain in place. Activities such as kayaking and fishing continue to be banned due to low water levels. Eight municipalities, mostly in the Luxembourg province, remain under monitoring by the Walloon Water Company. Residents in these areas have been urged to strictly limit water consumption to only essential sanitary and food-related needs.

Officials also highlighted that the fire risk remains elevated. Stephanie Ernoux, spokesperson for the Risk Coordination and Expertise Transmission Center (Cortex), mentioned that the danger level is "very high" in open areas and "high" in forest zones, where trees are under stress due to dry conditions. Authorities have urged residents to comply with measures, including bans imposed by provincial governors on outdoor fires and barbecues, even in designated areas.