Extreme heat and dry conditions have caused the Danube River to drop to historic lows, affecting nuclear power operations across multiple countries. Hungary came close to shutting down its only nuclear power plant due to insufficient water levels in the river used for cooling. Prime Minister Péter Magyar stated that while the last turbine was still running safely, the situation remained critical.
Romanian authorities took action by detonating a controlled explosion in the river to redirect water needed for cooling at the country’s operational nuclear plant. Romania had already shut down one of the two reactors at the Cernavodă nuclear power station, while the remaining unit was operating at reduced capacity and faced the risk of closure..
A cruise ship in Bulgaria had to evacuate nearly two hundred passengers after running aground near the port city of Vidin. The receding waters also revealed remnants from World War II, including German warships that were sunk during the 1944 retreat.
In Greece, wildfires have grown increasingly dangerous due to persistent high temperatures and dry weather conditions. Firefighters worked to contain a large blaze that had spread beyond its initial containment lines. Over five hundred firefighters were deployed to fight the fire, including several helicopters, according to local media reports. The situation was made more difficult by changing weather conditions that made it hard for crews to predict where flames might spread next.
Two helicopter crew members died in a midair collision while fighting the fire over the weekend. Additional firefighter deaths were reported on Crete and in southern Greece during recent weeks.
In France, most of the major wildfires from last week have now been brought under control, though some areas still show active fires. Residents in the southwestern Gironde region were allowed to return home after a long evacuation period.
Unexpectedly, unexploded munitions from World War II were discovered during fire suppression efforts. Local officials directed bomb disposal teams to investigate the area where the munitions were found.
In Romania, people have had to cool down animals and expose sandbanks that were once submerged due to the low water levels. The extreme temperatures have also prompted health authorities in Italy to issue red alerts for all cities as the heat continues.
The United Kingdom’s Health Security Agency warned of rising health risks from heat exposure, especially for vulnerable populations. Record-breaking temperatures have been recorded across the continent, with one location in eastern Europe reaching nearly forty degrees Celsius.
IMAGE: Danube, JStolp / Pixabay