The Danube, flowing through 10 countries from southwestern Germany to the Black Sea, has reached an unprecedentedly low water level in many places. Previously submerged rocks, sandbanks, and remnants of old ships have been exposed.
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With a heatwave hitting Western Europe again and a prolonged drought affecting much of the continent, the water level of one of the largest rivers in Europe has dropped to record lows. This disrupts tourism and industry across the region.
In Hungary’s capital Budapest, the country’s water service recorded a Danube water level of just 23 centimeters on Wednesday morning. This is significantly lower than the previous record of 33 centimeters, recorded in 2018, reports “The Independent”.
Due to the extremely low water level, popular cruise ships, whose passengers usually disembark in Budapest to explore the city, are now forced to dock much further upstream. Meanwhile, cargo ship operations have almost completely stopped, according to the Hungarian Ministry of Transport and Investment.
In Bulgaria, where the Danube forms the border with Romania, police evacuated 186 tourists from a cruise ship that ran aground on a sandbank near the port city of Vidin on Tuesday.
According to the Bulgarian state news agency BTA, passengers on the “Viking Ullur” ship ran out of food and water because the ship, which was supposed to replenish supplies at the Vidin port, could not reach it due to the sandbank.
Police indicated that 52 crew members may be forced to stay on the ship for an extended period – this will depend on navigation conditions and the possibility of freeing the ship.
In Serbia, hundreds of small boats and dozens of cargo ships are stranded on the dried-up riverbank near the northern city of Novi Sad.
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One houseboat owner, Radovan Segrt, who organizes river tours, said the Danube has receded “about 15–20 meters” from the shore.
“The boating season is already over,” he said.
It is forecast that the river will dry up even more in the coming days – no significant rainfall is expected, and temperatures in the region may exceed 38 degrees.
Most of Central Europe has been experiencing prolonged drought almost all year round. Repeated heatwaves have accelerated water evaporation and dried up water bodies.
The exposed riverbed revealed both danger and historical finds
The dried-up river has brought not only inconveniences but also new dangers. Last week, the Margaret Bridge in Budapest was closed when a World War II bomb was revealed at its base due to the lowered water level.
Meanwhile, treasure hunter Zsolt Horváth took advantage of the unusual conditions and searched for metal objects on the exposed riverbank with a strong magnet on Tuesday. He reported finding various items – from an old radio amplifier to World War ammunition cartridges.
“The fact that there is so little water in the Danube is a blessing for such activity, but in all other cases – a curse,” he said.
