A drought has been declared in parts of mid Wales - but Powys has escaped despite extended recent dry spells.

On Friday the threshold to trigger drought status in south-west Wales was met, Natural Resources Wales said.

Among the areas affected is noth Ceredigion reaching up to the Powys border, but Powys itself has not been included in the drought area.

That is despite the rainfall having been so low that the remnants of Llanwddyn village, which was flooded in the 19th century to create Lake Vyrnwy reservoir and supply water to Liverpool, has re-emerged.

The decision was taken by NRW and the Welsh Government’s Drought Liaison Group after discussing the impact the prolonged heatwave had wreaked on the environment, particularly rivers and reservoirs.

The areas affected include North Ceredigion, Teifi, Pembrokeshire, Carmarthen, Swansea, Llanelli, Neath Port Talbot and Bridgend.

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A hosepipe ban has also been brought into effect in Pembrokeshire and parts of Carmarthenshire due to the strain on public water supplies.

Currently, there are no plans to introduce a hosepipe ban in Powys.

Natalie Hall, from NRW, said: “Prolonged dry weather can lead to drought when rainfall remains low.

“This can impact some of our most precious habitats and species as well as systems we often take for granted, such as our water supplies.

“We have decided to declare a state of drought in south-west Wales after it was clear the lack of rain and recent heat have put a huge strain on our rivers, reservoirs and groundwater levels.

“While certain parts of Wales may be experiencing rain, it can still take a long time to recover from drought, making water a precious resource.”

County Times: (Natural Resources Wales/PA)(Natural Resources Wales/PA)

The whole region had just 65.5% of its average rainfall in July and all river levels are lower than expected for this time of the year, with the Ewenny, Teifi and Taf being “exceptionally low”, NRW said.

The rest of the country is also being affected by the dry weather, with Wales experiencing its driest five-month period in 40 years between March and July.

Hosepipe bans come into force amid hot and dry conditions in the UK

Last year Wales used the equivalent of 356 Olympic pools of water every day and in recent weeks the country’s daily demand has increased by 25%.

Experts have said any rain currently forecast is expected to be short, intense and unlikely to change the situation substantially, with very wet weather needed throughout autumn and winter to ensure recovery.