Stranded boats, out-of-work fishermen as Danube hits record lows
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The waters of the Danube, Europe’s second-longest river, have dropped in parts to a record low owing to successive heatwaves.
PHOTO: PIXABAY
- The Danube river has reached record low water levels due to heatwaves and climate change.
- Power plants in Hungary, Romania, and Serbia have shut down or reduced output because low water levels affect cooling and hydroelectric generation.
- Fishermen and local communities face economic hardship, with fishing halted and ferry services suspended.
AI generated
ROMANIA – The tourist port in the Romanian town of Corabia, on the banks of the Danube, is deserted except for a few pleasure boats stranded in the algae. The waters of the river are so low that vessels can no longer get in or out because of sandbars.
“Last year, we could swim across but now the water only comes up to our chests,” said 71-year-old fisherman Doru, who gave only his first name to AFP, pointing to an island in the river. “In two years, we’ll be able to just walk across.”
