Europe faces continuing heatwave as Rhine drops to historic low

A persistent heatwave across Europe has driven major river systems, including the Rhine and Danube, to historic low levels. Water levels at the Kaub gauge station on the Rhine reached their lowest point since 1880, disrupting commercial shipping, threatening local drinking water supplies, and stressing river ecosystems. The receding waters have also exposed historical artifacts, ranging from ancient shipwrecks to prehistoric mammoth bones. Meteorologists at the German Weather Service forecast continued extreme heat reaching up to 39 degrees Celsius across Germany into the weekend, alongside expected severe thunderstorms.

Sources: DW, Die Zeit, FAZ, ORF, Tagesschau