Record Drought Dries Up the Danube: Tourists Begin Evacuation from Liners
A record drought in Central Europe has caused a historic drying up of the Danube — the continent’s largest river. Due to critically low water levels, navigation, cargo transportation, and the tourism industry have already been disrupted.
As reported by Associated Press, the Danube, which flows through ten countries — from Germany to the Black Sea — has reached record low levels in many places. Rocks, sandbanks, and even sunken ships that were previously almost invisible have emerged from the water.
The most difficult situation is in Budapest. On the morning of July 30, the river’s water level was only 23 centimeters, below the previous historic minimum of 33 centimeters recorded in 2018. Meteorologists predict further water level drops due to lack of precipitation and heat, which may exceed 38 degrees Celsius in the coming days.
The drying up has already significantly affected navigation. The Hungarian Ministry of Transport reported that cruise liners can no longer dock in central Budapest, and cargo transportation on the Danube has almost completely stopped.
In Bulgaria, rescuers evacuated 186 passengers from the cruise liner Viking Ullur, which ran aground near the city of Vidin. Due to the inability to reach the port, the ship ran out of food and drinking water supplies. Meanwhile, 52 crew members will likely remain on board until the water level rises.
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