The worst drought in Europe in recent years has lowered its level Danube river to one of the lowest levels ever recorded in a century, leaving the city of Prahovo with the remains of dozens of German warships sunk during The Second World War.

Explosive-laden ships were among the hundreds sunk in the Danube in 1944 as the German Black Sea Fleet retreated in the face of advancing Soviet forces. To this day, shipwrecks hinder navigation on the river when the water level drops.

This year’s drought, which scientists believe is a consequence of global warming, has again revealed more than 20 skeletons of these ships in a section of the Danube in eastern Serbia. Some of these ships contain tons of ammunition and explosives and are considered dangerous for navigation. “The German flotilla left behind an ecological catastrophe that threatens us, the inhabitants of Prahovo,” commented Velimir Trajlović, 74, a town pensioner who has written a book about the ships.

Workers in the local fishing industry are also at risk.

Many months of drought and high temperatures cause river levels to drop in other parts of Europe, such as Germany, Italy and France. In Serbia, the authorities resorted to dredging to keep the shipping lanes on the Danube open. In the Prahovo area, due to sunken warships, the navigable section of the Danube was reduced to 100 meters from 180 before.

In March, the Serbian government launched a tender to clean up the river and remove ammunition and explosives. The cost is estimated at 29 million euros.

Source: APE/MEB