WorldDestroyed crops, exposed riverbed and the ‘Rock of Starvation’: drought ravages the Danube

The Danube’s record-low water levels have exposed Budapest’s ‘Rock of Starvation’ almost completely, while villages along the river face shortages of drinking water and farmers report severe crop losses. Hungary has also shut all but one of its Danube-cooled nuclear reactors because the river is too low to provide adequate cooling.

DanubedroughtHungarywater shortages

TThe Guardian★★★★☆2026-08-16 04:00Original