Village in Oxfordshire forced to rely on bottled water due to extremely dry conditions

The heatwave has created drought-like conditions in many parts of England, and a village in Oxfordshire has become its latest victim.

Northend has become the first place in Britain to run dry due to the hot weather. Its residents have been relying on bottled water and tankers for their basic water needs. The crisis is so severe that Thames Water, which operates in the area, had to hand out water bottles to its residents.

The company also recently said that they are planning to announce a temporary hosepipe ban in the coming weeks. Meanwhile, it has urged people to minimise their water use.

Several other water suppliers, including South East Water, have already announced such measures. Hampshire, the Isle of Man and the Isle of Wight have also imposed a hosepipe ban. This is the first time since 2012 that the region has had to impose a hosepipe ban.

Most of England is already in a prolonged dry status, which implies that the country is just one step away from a drought. And the situation is not getting any better, according to a report in The Telegraph.

Below-average rainfall in recent months has led to low groundwater levels, dry soil, and low water levels in national reservoirs. Rivers and reservoirs throughout England have been running at exceptionally low levels.

On Tuesday, the Met Office issued an amber warning for extreme heat, with temperatures expected to reach as high as 36ºC in some places in the coming days.

"Thanks to persistent high pressure over the UK, temperatures will be rising day-on-day through this week and an extreme heat warning has been issued," Met Office deputy chief meteorologist Dan Rudman said in a statement.

Forecasters have also warned that there will be "very little meaningful rain" in the coming weeks. August and September will be critical months for several parts of England, which could face localised hosepipe bans in the coming weeks.