A prolonged heatwave and drought have caused water levels in the Danube, Europe's second-longest river, to drop to record lows, exposing historical relics buried for decades. Among these are several World War II Nazi warships, scuttled in the river, which have surfaced near Prahovo village in Serbia, RT reported on 2/8. Images and videos shared on social media show these wrecks exposed in the river or stranded on sandbars.
The exposed vessels include a Hungarian cargo ship that sank in 1937, now visible near Opatovac village in Croatia. The European Investment Bank (EIB) estimates that approximately 200 ships, including cargo vessels, tugboats, and barges, remain at the bottom of the Danube.
The low water levels have immediate impacts on critical infrastructure. Hungarian Prime Minister Peter Magyar announced on 2/8 that one of the two units at the Paks nuclear power plant, which supplies nearly half of the country's electricity, ceased operation at 1:30. This shutdown, attributed to the declining Danube water levels, could persist for weeks.
Navigation and tourism along the Danube have also been severely affected. In Budapest, the Hungarian national meteorological agency recorded the river's water level at just 23 cm on 29/7, the lowest ever, surpassing the previous record of 33 cm set in 2018. As a result, river cruise ships, typically docking in Budapest for city tours, must now anchor further upstream. Cargo ship operations have almost completely halted, according to the Hungarian Ministry of Transport and Investment. Romania has also declared a state of emergency due to the reduced electricity production caused by low Danube water levels.
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The flow of the Danube River through European countries. Graphic: Euronews |
Beyond the sunken ships, other historical discoveries are emerging. Last week, authorities in Budapest found a German shell from World War II near Margaret Bridge, a key city thoroughfare, necessitating a temporary cordon for bomb disposal. In northern Bulgaria, the receding river exposed what appear to be the remains of a mammoth. Nikolay Nenov, director of the regional history museum in nearby Ruse city, described bone samples found by a Ryahovo village resident as "an important discovery for science."
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Residents swimming near the wreck of a World War II Nazi warship on the Danube River through Prahovo village, Serbia on 30/7. Photo: Reuters |
The Danube's water levels are expected to continue falling in the coming days, with no significant rain forecasted and regional temperatures potentially exceeding 38°C, AP reported.
Huyen Le (Independent, RT, AP)
