Key facts
- A steam tugboat named the Slovenian, dating from the early 1900s, has emerged from the Sava River in Serbia due to extreme drought.
- The low water levels across Europe have also revealed German warships, ancient bridge piers in Italy, and mammoth bones in Bulgaria.
- The drought is impacting trade, power, and water supplies, with record-low levels on the Danube River affecting nuclear power plants and shipping.
- Scientists attribute the increasing frequency and intensity of heat and drought to climate change.
Extreme heat and prolonged drought across Europe have caused river levels to drop to historic lows, leading to the emergence of ancient relics and impacting vital infrastructure. In Serbia, the wreck of the steam tugboat 'Slovenian,' built in 1913, has surfaced from the Sava River, a vessel that survived two World Wars before sinking in 1945. This discovery follows similar revelations along the Danube and other European waterways, including German warships laden with weapons, ancient bridge piers in Italy, and mammoth bones in Bulgaria.
The receding waters have had significant consequences, disrupting trade, power generation, and water supplies. The Danube River, Europe's second-largest waterway, has reached record-low levels, severely impacting nuclear power plants in Hungary and Romania and halting traffic. Drought conditions have also ravaged crops and caused water shortages extending to the Alps.
Scientists warn that climate change is exacerbating the frequency and intensity of such extreme weather events. Experts note that a lack of winter snow and dry springs contribute to these conditions, predicting that such situations will become more common, leading to a 'new normalcy.' Even high-altitude regions, like the Slovenian Alps, are experiencing water restrictions, affecting mountain lodges and their operations.