Rivers hit historic lows as drought grips Europe

Europe is grappling with severe water shortages as persistent heat and minimal rainfall push river levels to historic lows. The ongoing drought is placing immense pressure on water supplies across numerous regions.

Images from Romania show boats resting on the exposed riverbed of the Danube in Islaz, an area normally submerged. In Budapest, the Danube's water level gauge registered a record low of just 31 centimeters. Switzerland's Lac des Brenets, on the border with France, has seen its water recede so drastically that navigation has ceased, leaving boats stranded on sand.

The Rhine River near Neuhausen, Switzerland, is flowing at approximately 196 cubic meters per second, a stark contrast to the usual summer flow of around 600 cubic meters per second. Similarly, the Tiber River near Castel Sant'Angelo in Rome is critically low. In England, the Swithland Reservoir in Leicestershire is currently less than 44% of its normal capacity, and a pond in East London is losing water equivalent to an Olympic swimming pool weekly.

Other affected areas include the Ribibach stream in Wolfenschiessen, Switzerland, and the Velence Lake in Hungary, both experiencing severe drought. The Töss riverbed in Switzerland is so dry that cars can drive across it, while a heart-shaped rock formation has emerged at the confluence of the Limmat, Reuss, and Aare rivers.