Urgent.News

What's breaking now, across thousands of outlets.

Culture

Trockenheit: Dürres Deutschland: Wieso es derzeit so trocken ist

Wo sonst Wasser fließt, ist vielerorts aktuell nur staubtrockener Grund: In vielen Flüssen und Seen ist so wenig Wasser wie kaum je zuvor – und die Lage könnte sich noch zuspitzen.

Original German Read in English

Trockenheit: Dürres Deutschland: Wieso es derzeit so trocken ist

A severe drought is currently affecting Germany, particularly the southern regions and the origins of the Rhine River in Switzerland. The Rhine and Danube rivers are experiencing historically low water levels, with the UFZ monitoring system showing decreasing water levels in the deeper soil layers. This drought is considered unusual, as it typically occurs only in late summer or autumn.

The warm temperatures and lack of rainfall have contributed to the situation, as has an extremely dry spring and altered snowmelt patterns. The water crisis is critical for ecosystems, especially in riverbanks and wetlands, and for the economy, as ships may be unable to transport cargo on the Rhine due to insufficient water depth.

While the drinking water supply remains safe, local water shortages have been addressed through restrictions on private pool filling and lawn irrigation. Experts predict that such extreme drought events may become more frequent and severe due to climate change, necessitating adaptation strategies to ensure water availability throughout the year.

Written by urgent.news from Handelsblatt's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.

Read the original at handelsblatt.com →

More in Culture

IHC suspends order for disclosure of cricketers’ salaries, perks

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court on Tuesday suspended a Pakistan Information Commission (PIC) order that directed the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to make public its annual budgets, audit reports, remuneration of national players, selection committee members, and expenditure on the T20 World Cup 2026.

More from Wednesday 5 August →