Shipwrecks Resurface as Danube Levels Fall

Rusted wrecks of German warships from World War II have resurfaced in the Danube in eastern Serbia as water levels fall to record lows. Ljubisa Karalic, a fisherman from Prahovo, said the wrecks had been completely submerged since 1945 and had never been exposed to this extent.

Further north in Novi Sad, falling water levels have also left numerous small boats stranded in marinas.

A series of record-breaking heat waves this summer has caused severe drought in parts of Europe, affecting major waterways including the Danube and Rhine. Water temperatures in the Serbian section of the Danube have hovered around an all-time high of 28C.

Jelena Jerinic of Serbia’s Hydrometeorological Service said the Danube had fallen into a record low and warned that the the river's biodiversity was under threat. High water temperatures combined with low water levels accelerate the growth of microorganisms and bacteria while reducing dissolved oxygen.

(Reuters, Max)