Drought in Europe: Danube and Rhine at Historic Lows, Economic Output Shrinks

A severe drought in Europe has dropped water levels in the Danube and Rhine to historic lows, forcing Hungary and Romania to shut down nuclear reactors, reducing energy production, disrupting maritime trade, and hurting tourism. In Germany, shallow Rhine waters have cut cargo ship loads to 20% of normal capacity, and in Britain, wholesale vegetable prices have surged by over 40% to 90%.

The drought in Europe continues to impact the economy, with water levels in the Danube and Rhine rivers falling to historic lows. Hungary and Romania have been forced, for the first time in their history, to shut down nuclear reactors that rely on the Danube for cooling. The Paks nuclear reactor in Hungary, which provides nearly half of the country's electricity, has been reducing output since last week, and Prime Minister Péter Magyar confirmed it is operating at less than 50% capacity and will be fully shut down during the week. The closure may last several weeks. In Romania, one reactor unit at the Cernavodă power plant was taken offline, and a second unit was shut down shortly after. Low water levels have led to the cancellation of cruises and halted cargo ship operations. The Rhine in Germany has also fallen to record lows, reducing cargo loads on freight ships to 20% of normal capacity and making shipping more expensive. Economists have warned that the disruptions could shave 0.2 percentage points off German growth. In Britain, the drought is making vegetables more expensive: tomato prices have surged by over 60%, lettuce by 90%, and potatoes by more than 40%. Supermarket chain leaders have appealed to incoming Prime Minister Andy Burnham, warning of a threat to food security.