Ghosts of the past emerge as falling Danube reveals Nazi warships
Severe drought conditions on the Danube River have caused water levels to drop, revealing dozens of sunken Nazi warships from World War II. These vessels, some still containing explosives, pose a navigational hazard as authorities work to manage the river's flow.
Why it matters
The emergence of these wrecks highlights the tangible impacts of climate change on infrastructure and historical preservation in Europe.
shares Share article Water levels on the Danube River, the second longest in Europe , have dropped so low because of drought that the hulks of dozens of World War II German warships are emerging into view.
They are a curious distraction from the summer heat crisis .
A view of the wreckage of a WWII German warship in front of Djerdap II, a large dam on the Danube River, between Romania and Serbia. Darko Vojinovic
The Danube’s record low water levels have also forced power plants to the brink of shutting down, and governments across Central and Eastern Europe are taking steps to conserve electricity.
In the middle of the river separating Serbia and Romania near the Serbian port of Prahovo, a rusty hull is now visible along with a broken mast where the Nazi flag used to fly.
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