Nijmegen (Netherlands) (AFP) – On the banks of the Waal, the Dutch branch of the Rhine, swimmers are sunning themselves on a Nijmegen beach that didn't exist before the river level dropped a few months ago.
Issued on: 15/08/2026 - 08:03
Like many European countries, the Netherlands has been hit by a historic summer drought caused by a prolonged dry spell, exceptional heat and intense evaporation.
The Dutch -- with their dikes, dams and vast waterworks--have long been admired for their tenacity in the face of flood risks.
Now their country, which is lower than sea level, finds itself, in an era of global warming, facing a dilemma: how to retain water while protecting themselves from it?
