Europe is blowing up riverbeds as an extreme drought wreaks havoc on its economy
The drought in Europe is so severe that it is jeopardizing countries’ economic growth and forcing them to take extreme measures like blowing up riverbeds. Gripped by a summer of weather extremes, Romania recently shut down its sole working nuclear reactor cooled by the Danube for the first time, with Bucharest even deploying naval forces ...
Europe is currently facing a severe drought that is negatively impacting its economy and forcing drastic actions, such as blowing up riverbeds in Romania. The drought has led to shutdowns of nuclear reactors and hydropower facilities, threatening electricity supply and increasing the risk of blackouts. Low water levels on the Danube and Rhine rivers have forced Hungary's Paks nuclear plant to reduce electricity generation, and prompted Serbia to cut hydropower output.
In Germany, the Rhine's water levels have dropped to their lowest in nearly 150 years, creating challenges for freight transport and increasing costs. Experts warn that low water levels could reduce Germany's GDP by up to 0.2% in the third quarter, or around 1 to 2 billion euros ($1.15 billion to $2.3 billion). Climate change is exacerbating the drought risk, with financial consequences for European businesses, which have either prepared by stockpiling or rerouting transport.
Written by urgent.news from Hellenic Shipping News's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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