Following an intense heat wave in June and severe wildfires in southern France and Spain, Europe's summer of climate-fueled crises continues with rivers across the continent running low.
Parts of the vital Rhine, Danube and Po rivers have fallen to historically low levels, threatening freight transport, the wider economy, and agriculture, with farmers warning of increased prices due to poor harvests amid the drought.
Along the Danube, cargo and cruise ships can no longer pass in some places. In Hungary, Romania and Croatia, sunken ships and cars have reemerged as riverbeds dry out.
In German cities, including Cologne and Düsseldorf, people can now walk across parts of the Rhine where strong currents normally flow. River levels could fall even more dramatically in the coming days.
The water crisis is being intensified by global warming driven by the burning of coal, oil and gas. Low water levels are also taking a growing toll on ecosystems — and could eventually drive up the cost of clean drinking water.
