Europe's scorched landscapes seen from space after summer heatwaves
BBC Verify examines the impact of drought and extreme heat on western European rivers, fields and mountains.
Extreme temperatures in western Europe this summer, triggered by persistent high-pressure systems and amplified by climate change, have left a visible impact on landscapes. Satellite images reveal shrunken glaciers, burned areas from wildfires, parched fields, and lower river levels across the continent. The Palace of Versailles in France appears as a green oasis surrounded by brown fields, while the Danube's water levels have dropped to a 30-year low, revealing historical artifacts.
The Rhine has seen stranded cargo vessels and cancelled river cruises. Alpine glaciers are at risk of melting faster this summer, with Rhône Glacier in Switzerland receding by up to 50 meters. Wildfires have scorched over 90,000 hectares in France, the worst year on record, and have transformed large areas of western Europe into a brown landscape.
The Normalised Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) shows widespread water stress in France, the UK, and western Germany, posing threats to agriculture and food production.
Written by urgent.news from BBC News's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
