Overview
- The Danube has fallen to unprecedented levels, with Hungary’s water authority measuring 23 centimetres in Budapest on Wednesday, the lowest reading on record across much of the river.
- Navigation has collapsed in sections of the waterway as sandbars and shoals form, a cruise ship ran aground near Vidin and 186 passengers were evacuated after supplies ran out.
- Countries that use Danube water for cooling have cut nuclear output for safety: Romania shut down units at Cernavoda and Hungary began powering down reactors at Paks because cooling withdrawals are restricted.
- The drought is hitting local livelihoods and safety, with fishermen stranded, ferry and cargo services suspended, exposed riverbeds revealing shipwrecks and a World War II bomb that closed Budapest’s Margaret Bridge.
- Scientists say human-caused climate change has amplified the event, forecasts show more heat and little rain, and authorities are using dredging, water limits and traffic controls while warning cross-border economic and energy strains may continue.