By Zoila Palma: Europe’s prolonged heat and drought are causing rivers to shrink, leaving houseboats stranded on dry riverbeds and threatening shipping, tourism and water supplies across the continent, CNN reports.
The Netherlands, a country accustomed to manaeuropeging excess water, declared an official water shortage on Thursday and raised its national drought response to Level 2.
Authorities are assessing measures to reduce water use, including limiting groundwater pumping and operating river locks less frequently to prevent saltwater from moving further inland.
The situation has been described as alarming by climate scientists, who warn that the timing of the water shortage is particularly concerning with much of the summer still ahead.
Hannah Cloke, a professor of meteorology and climate science at the University of Reading, said prolonged heat is drying out soil, reducing river levels and increasing demand for water at the same time. The Rhine and Meuse rivers in the Netherlands have recorded unusually warm water temperatures of around 77 degrees Fahrenheit (25 Celsius), with reports of blue-green algae and fish deaths.
The drought is also affecting the Rhine, a key waterway for European trade.
Low water levels in parts of Germany have forced cargo ships to reduce their loads, increasing transportation costs. A river cruise ship ran aground on the Rhine near Bonn in July and had to be pulled into deeper water by a freighter.
Although recent rainfall has improved water levels in some areas, traders warn that significantly more rain is needed to ease the threat.
The post International News: Europe’s Rivers shrink as prolonged heat and drought continues appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.
By Zoila Palma: Europe’s prolonged heat and drought are causing rivers to shrink, leaving houseboats stranded on dry riverbeds and threatening shipping, tourism and water supplies across the continent, CNN reports. The Netherlands, a country accustomed to manaeuropeging excess water, declared an official water shortage on Thursday and raised its national drought response to Level
The post International News: Europe’s Rivers shrink as prolonged heat and drought continues appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.
