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Danube River's shrinking water levels expose dozens of World War II ships
Fortune • • world
Key Points:
- Record low water levels in the Danube River, caused by a summer heat crisis and linked to global warming, have forced power plants near the river to the brink of shutdown and prompted electricity conservation measures across Central and Eastern Europe.
- Near the Serbian port of Prahovo, the low water has revealed rusty hulls and broken masts of Nazi Germany’s Black Sea fleet, deliberately scuttled in September 1944 to slow the Soviet advance during World War II.
- Up to 200 German warships were sunk in the Danube gorge near Prahovo, with many still carrying explosives, which has complicated their removal despite efforts by Yugoslav authorities and ongoing EU-supported Serbian government initiatives.
- The current low water levels are severely disrupting river traffic, with large ships unable to pass, raising concerns about the Danube’s navigability through its 10-nation route.
