In Germany, 'hunger stones' with carved dates of past dry years have been exposed due to receding river levels, reports infohub.kz.
These stones have been considered harbingers of crop failures for centuries: they were used to mark years of particularly low water levels. They have appeared on the Elbe River near the town of Pirna. One such stone in the Oberposta area bears more than 20 dates, the earliest of which dates back to 1707.
The water level in the Elbe has not exceeded one meter for a long time, and in Dresden it has dropped to 54 centimeters. Other rivers in the region, such as the Mulde, Weiße Elster, Spree, and Neiße, have also noticeably shrunk.
The region is experiencing hot weather up to +34 degrees with occasional thunderstorms, and on August 10 and 11, dry and sunny weather with temperatures up to +25 degrees is expected.
Earlier, it was reported that Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić stated that the Danube River would become unsuitable for navigation in the coming days due to low water levels. In Hungary, the Danube's low water levels have already led to the shutdown of power units at the Paks Nuclear Power Plant. Additionally, sunken ships from World War II have been exposed due to falling water levels.
The prolonged heat in Europe has not only caused massive forest fires but also an unprecedented drought. In the UK, farmers are warning of possible food shortages, and navigation on one of Europe's main river arteries, the Rhine, is also under threat.