Brussels, Belgium – Forest fires are raging in France and Spain as a new heatwave hits western Europe, while a prolonged drought is causing record low water levels in the Danube, one of the continent’s largest rivers, disrupting tourism and industry and exposing residents to the reality of climate change.
Record levels of drought in Budapest
The Danube River, which flows through ten countries from southwestern Germany to the Black Sea, has dropped to unprecedented lows along much of its course, exposing rocks, sandbars, and the wrecks of old ships. In the Hungarian capital, Budapest, the national water authority recorded a level of 23 centimeters (9 inches) on Wednesday morning, significantly lower than the previous record low of 33 centimeters in 2018, with further drops expected as temperatures soar above 38 degrees Celsius.
Navigation disrupted and cruise ships run aground
Low water levels forced cruise ships to dock far upriver, while cargo ships came to a near standstill, according to the Hungarian Ministry of Transport. In Bulgaria, police evacuated 186 tourists from a cruise ship that ran aground near Vidin after running out of food and water and being unable to reach port. Hundreds of boats and cargo ships were also stranded near Novi Sad in Serbia after the river level dropped 15 to 20 meters below its banks.
Direct effects on nuclear power production
The receding water levels pose a serious threat to nuclear power production. In Romania, where the Danube’s flow dropped to a third of its average in July, authorities shut down a reactor unit at the Cernavuda plant for safety reasons and plan to close another. Similarly, the Paks nuclear power plant in Hungary has begun shutting down one of its reactors due to a lack of cooling water, following reduced power output at two other reactors, raising concerns about a potential widespread energy crisis in the region.
