Europe faces widespread heatwave as river levels drop and weather alerts expand

Record heat and severe drought continue to affect large parts of Europe, triggering red health alerts, river shipping disruptions, and extreme weather warnings. In Italy, health authorities extended the highest heat warning level to all 27 major cities as extreme temperatures posed health risks. Germany anticipates peak temperatures of 39 degrees Celsius alongside impending severe thunderstorms forecasted by the national weather service.

Water levels on major waterways, including the Danube and the Rhine, have dropped significantly. At the Kaub gauge in Germany, the Rhine fell to its lowest point since 1880, severely hindering commercial transport while threatening river ecosystems and drinking water supplies. The receding waters have also exposed submerged shipwrecks and ancient bones. Meanwhile, firefighters tackled a large blaze near the German-Dutch border.

Sources: Der Spiegel, DW, FAZ, ORF, Tagesschau