Extreme heatwave and dry weather strain European infrastructure and water levels

Europe's intense summer heatwave continues to impact ecosystems, infrastructure, and public health across the continent. Temperatures in Germany are expected to reach 39 degrees Celsius on Thursday before severe thunderstorms arrive.

Sustained drought conditions have reduced major waterways to critically low levels. Gauge readings along the Rhine and Danube have reached historic lows, threatening biodiversity, drinking water supplies, and commercial shipping. The receding waters have also revealed long-hidden shipwrecks and ancient mammoth bones.

In Southern Europe, Italian authorities expanded red heat alerts to all 27 major cities, warning that extreme weather presents a health hazard to the entire population. Meanwhile, Austria recorded new high temperatures, and emergency services responded to a significant wildfire near the German-Dutch border.

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