Serious drought hitting Europe, wider world

Much of Europe and the Northern Hemisphere is battling either wildfires, low water levels, harvest warnings, water use restrictions or a mixture of all these. DW rounds up the situation.

Hungary’s Lake Velence is no longer a happy hunting ground for thirsty geese

Around much of the Northern Hemisphere, from Hungary to Hawaii, from the drying Rhine River to the now-recovering Rio Grande, or from Casablanca to California, summer droughts and high temperatures are having a serious impact on everything from agriculture to the freight industry.

Here’s a rundown of some of the latest drought-related developments from around the world, plus a window to more bespoke coverage on DW. 

Germany — Logistics operator to stop most barge operations on Upper and Middle Rhine

Due to low water level, the German container logistics company Contargo is suspending most of its inland shipping operations on the Upper and Middle Rhine.

Since no significant rainfall is expected in the coming days, the company expects the Kaub Gauge level to fall below 40 cm (15,7 inches) from this coming weekend.

“Then our barges will not be able to sail without danger, and for reasons of safety we shall have to largely discontinue our navigation on the Upper and Middle Rhine,” Contargo said in a statement on the company’s website.

Germany — Farmers’ organization issues harvest warning

The president of the German Farmers’ Association, Joachim Rukwied, warned on Friday that without imminent rain, this year’s harvests could be severely affected by the late-summer heat wave. 

He added that the combined issues of inflation and the conflict in Ukraine were exacerbating the situation even for farmers in Western Europe, hundreds or thousands of kilometers from the front lines. …more here

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