In photos: Europe’s worst drought in 500 years is causing forest fires and drying out riverbeds

With recurrent heatwaves and insignificant rainfall, Europe could be facing its worst drought in 500 years. Major rivers have been receding, exposing sunken, grim relics of the past—including an unexploded World War II bomb and a German barge, and an old village that had been submerged in Italy’s longest river, the Po; WWII ships in the River Danube in Serbia; and a hunger stone in the Czech Republic’s Elbe River.

Hunger stones were markers in Central European rivers during times of severe drought and impending famine. While ancient artefacts have emerged from the waters during particularly parched periods, most recently in 2018, this year’s drought is a record low: the worst in 70 years for Italy, with the level of the Rhine, Western Europe’s most crucial waterway, so low as to throttle shipping companies that have been unable to move supplies at full capacity. The water scarcity and wildfire from the exceptionally dry and warm past few months have taken a wide toll, also endangering wildlife and threatening crops. About 7,00,000 hectares of land has been wrecked across the continent by wildfire this year, which is double the average from 2021 to 2006, when the European Forest Fire Information System began keeping records. Take a look at the changes sweeping across the continent

CZECH REPUBLIC

The stone heralded the famine years—reduced harvests due to drought. The oldest engraved year on the now exposed stone is 1616, and the most distinct inscription is the old German “Wenn du mich siehst, dann weine” (“If you see me, weep”).

ROME

The river Tiber’s water levels dropped by a metre compared to this time last year, making it possible to see the remains of the bridge built by Roman Emperor Nero. Across the country, lakes and rivers are drying up. The country’s longest river, the Po, is particularly badly affected, with all of this having knock-on effects on the country’s agriculture sector. Fears are growing about this year’s crop, as well as whether the drought will affect the industry. According to the national statistics agency ISTAT, Italy is becoming drier due to man-made climate change.

SPAIN

Farmers in the wine sector of the community of Madrid have advanced this year’s grape harvest to August due to the high temperatures and the drought, and have warned of the danger of next year’s crops. They say the grape vines grape are currently very stressed due to this summer’s heat waves. Harvesting before time will make the grapes smaller because they have not gained weight and although the quality won’t be reduced, many kilos will be lost for farmers and winemakers.They are concerned that ongoing drought, high temperatures and early harvest, could endanger next year’s harvest and wine production as it will interfere with the plant’s life cycle.

GERMANY

A ship that sank more than 100 years ago lies visible on the left bank of the Rhine. Low water on the Rhine; the level in Emmerich falls to zero.

United Kingdom

A bridge that crosses the dried bed of the River Thames near the river’s source at Thames Head, is seen after a drought in Kemble, United Kingdom on 8 August. The source of River Thames has dried out and shifted the above-ground source of the river to downstream.

ROMANIA

 On the Romanian section of the river, commercial and touristic navigation has been restricted. The agriculture and wildlife in the area have been affected by the low water levels.

FRANCE

The production of salt is exceptional this year marked by drought and heatwaves, in the region of Guerande, a town on the peninsula of the same name in the Pays de la Loire region of Brittany.

PORTUGAL

The country is experiencing a spate of forest fires, and the government declared once again a state of alert in Portugal’s mainland between 21 -23 August due to forecasts of hot and dry weather with temperatures above 40ºC and strong winds that can reach more than 40-60 kms per hour.