Portugal prays for rain as drought adds to crisis

After Portugal's driest February in 80 years, farmers are praying for a miracle as drought ravages pastures and sparks forest fires, exacerbating the country's economic crisis. Worse still, official forecasters expect the freak weather pattern to prevail at least through the end of March, which would worsen a drought now classified as severe and extreme throughout mainland Portugal.
Aside from the yet-unassessed impact on trade and GDP, the situation is likely to further strain limited financial resources just as Portugal is cutting spending to meet the tough terms of its 78-billion euro bailout from the European Union and International Monetary Fund. The country's last major drought in 2005 cost the country almost 300 million euros ($400 million).
In the parched southern Alentejo region - the country's poorest - villagers in several places are already holding Novenas, acts of religious devotion at which prayers are recited and sung for nine nights in a row to obtain divine intervention. Pedro Mestre, a teacher in the village of Sete, is one of those who have been praying and singing the Novena alongside local farmers. "Dry, cold weather at night and heat during the day destroy the crops - grain, tomatoes, vines, orchards.